Am I Mad?
by Storybored
Summary: Jefferson lost everything because of the dark curse and a bad deal, his wife, his daughter, and his sanity. Could a fiery hearted, golden haired principal help him get back what Regina cost him? Only if Emma Swan can break the curse, with help of course. Warnings: Swearing, puns and a few dirty jokes/innuendos.
1. You are terribly real in a false world

_Jefferson smiled at the blonde woman who was clad in a light blue dress with silver sleeves. The sleeves were in a filigree pattern studded with diamonds, the fabric of the dress looked like it was made out of scales, the bottom of the dress looking like feathers. Unfitting for the biting personality of the woman wearing the dress. The blonde woman returned the smile as she was spun and held in Jefferson's arms,"Loathe the dress, Alice."_

_Alice quirked an eyebrow her brown eyes mischievous,"Suggestions?"_

_Jefferson chuckled,"I'm sure it would look better on your chamber's floor?"_

_Alice slid her hands up Jefferson's jacket, her hands tugged on the roses stamped on his leather lapels,"Along with the jacket, I assume?"_

_Jefferson touched her forehead with his,"Along with the jacket."_

_Alice pressed her lips to his, and Jefferson closed his eyes, sagging slightly into his wife's longed for embrace. His eyes snapped open when he tasted a salty metallic fluid against his lips. Alice's eyes were unfocused and glazed as she had blood bubbling up from her lips. Jefferson felt a wet spot start to form where their bodies were pressed together, Jefferson looked down at Alice's stomach seeing the light blue stain with red. He laid Alice on the ground and put his hands over the blood stain, his voice becoming more broken as he spoke,"Alice, Al? Stay with me please…. Please."_

_Alice coughed and gasped,"No-no. It's okay, it's okay….yo-you'll take care of our Grace."_

_Jefferson felt tears in his eyes as she in raised his hand to touch her cheek, Jefferson lifted her up into his lap,"No, I can't. I can't do it."_

Jefferson jolted awake, gasping,"I can't, I can't."

He rolled over grabbing the silver trash bin by his bed and vomiting into it. He heaved what little his stomach contained into it before walking to the bathroom and rubbing his face on a towel, he looked at the husk of a man in the reflection of the mirror.

The dull blue eyes and pallid skin reminiscent of a man, Jefferson wanted dead 13 years ago. A man he hoped his daughter would never see. He needed to be out of the house, even being in public, would be better than being locked up in this lavish prison alone. Pretending to belong was something he was good at, he had to be good at that here.

'_I'm sorry, I wasn't the man you thought I was. Hell, I wasn't even half of him. I was an idiot and a coward.' _Jefferson drove to Granny's diner and walked in shivering slightly from the sudden change in temperature. He walked up to the both and ordered a cup of tea. Assiyah brought it to him, her name read Isabelle here. Jefferson knew better, he remembered a small girl with ink black hair and deep violet colored eyes. Part of a set, Jefferson recalled a boy, her twin, Rhaego, dark hair and bright purple eyes, but he wasn't here.

"Jefferson do you mind stepping outside with me?" Emma said touching his arm slightly.

Jefferson flinched back on reflex,"Don't really have a choice, do I?"

Emma let Jefferson pay for the untouched cup of tea and held the door open as he walked out and stood on the sidewalk pulling his long coat around him. Emma pulled him to the side,"Look I'm not saying I believe you because if I do that means-"

"Regina is the evil queen? Ms. Blanchard is your mother, the two-timer Mr. Nolan is your father?" Jefferson asked looking at Emma his head cocked slightly.

Emma stepped back,"No. It means you need help."

Jefferson sighed,"I had help. A long time ago."

Emma began walking, Jefferson falling in step behind her, indulging in the madman's "Fantasy","Who?"

Jefferson sighed, realizing they were heading to Dr. Hopper's office,"My wife. She helped with everything. I was alive, but not living before we met. She liked to say I was living on the world rather than in it. I was rather self-serving, if I'm to be honest and after the death of a close friend, those parts of my personality became more apparent, I was a man who I didn't like very much."

Emma pursed her lips as she walked down the road, the wind cutting through her leather jacket,"You said you lived alone."

Jefferson sucked in air sharply, ignoring the way the crisp air burned his lungs,"I do. Now."

Emma heard his voice go brittle on the term now,"What happened?"

Jefferson decided to go with his truth, or at least a version of the truth,"She died. A few years ago."

Jefferson stopped in front of Dr. Hopper's office as Emma stood in front of the door,"I'm sorry. You need help. I scheduled a meeting with Dr. Hopper. You're going."

Jefferson looked up at the door,"Do I have a choice?"

"No, unless you want people to find out about your "daughter"." Emma said watching Jefferson blanch and freeze.

Jefferson's voice was tense, as he began to step up to the door,"It was a rhetorical question."

Emma followed him inside watching as Doctor Hopper set his clipboard down and stand up with his hand out to shake Emma clasped it. After Dr. Hopper finished greeting Emma he turned to Jefferson and held out his hand for the taller man to shake.

Jefferson stared at the outstretched hand and looked up at Emma, Archie spoke to break the awkward silence,"It's nice to meet you Mr. ….. Emma didn't tell me your last name."

Jefferson tugged at his jacket nervously,"Just Jefferson. "

Emma walked toward the door,"I'll be back later to ask how the appointment went."

Jefferson glanced at the door worriedly until it clicked shut, he walked behind the couch and stared at Dr. Hopper who sat back down,"Would you like to take a seat? How are you feeling, Jefferson?"

Jefferson sat down and leaned back trying to further distance himself from the shrink,"Claustrophobic."

"Why?" Dr. Hopper ask writing something down.

Jefferson sighed, running a hand through his hair,"An amalgamation of my various problems."

Dr. Hopper cocked his head,"What problems?"

"You want them alphabetically?" Jefferson said raising an eyebrow and grinning self-deprecatingly.

"Wherever you want to start." Dr. Hopper said.

"How about we start with our dear mayor?" Jefferson asked sizing the cricket up.

"What about her?"

"Shall we begin with the fact that she cost me everything?" Jefferson asked painting himself as a jaded bitter man,"I have everything material that a man could want but what's the point if I have no one to share it with?"

"Did you love her?" Dr. Hopper said questioning the young man across from him.

"Regina? No, what we had was unhealthy at the best of times." Jefferson said touching his wedding ring, a solid band of silver engraved with a filigree pattern, to his lips.

Dr. Hopper wrote something down,"But you had someone? I can't help but notice you wear a wedding ring."

"I did." Jefferson said twisting his ring.

"What happened?" Dr. Hopper asked.

"She died." Jefferson said staring at his shoes, ignoring how his eyes burned,"An accident."

"How long ago was it?" Dr. Hopper asked realizing that Jefferson couldn't be much older than Emma.

"4 years." Jefferson said quietly.

"When did the two of you get married?" Dr. Hopper asked gently.

"When I was 18. We were married for 6 years." Jefferson looked nervous," Regina says I should be over it. Over her. Some days I believe she's right."

"Why?" Dr. Hopper asked.

"I look at the people I love and I realize how many of them got hurt. It's easier if I'm alone."

"Who got hurt?"

"Saphir, Alice, my dau-" Jefferson cut himself off with a pained noise.

"You have a daughter?" Dr. Hopper said looking at the stressed out man.

Jefferson's voice was tense,"Why does it matter?"

"Jefferson, I'm here to help you." Dr. Hopper started.

"I don't want to talk about it." Jefferson avoiding the shrink's gaze.

"Then what do you want to talk about?" Dr. Hopper asked gently trying to get Jefferson to open up.

Jefferson sat up nervously hearing someone knock at the door, the door creaked open as Henry came bounding in. Henry hesitated when he saw that someone was sitting on the couch, Jefferson flinched away from Henry and stood up,"I think it would be best for me to go."

"Our time isn't up yet." Archie said as Jefferson walked around the door passing Henry without a second glance.

Jefferson stood in the hallway outside and heard Henry talking to Dr. Hopper,"Who was that?"

"A former friend of your mom's." Dr. Hopper said quietly.

"Mom's never mentioned him." Henry said his voice curious.

"Maybe she didn't want you to know. You may not believe it, but your mother does things for a reason." Dr. Hopper said.

Jefferson rubbed his eyes and whimpered before heading anywhere but here, anywhere but the mansion that doubled as a prison. He started off for the general direction of the pawn shop or Granny's he would decide when he got there. When he stopped walking a few hours later, he took a detour if you asked him he couldn't, wouldn't tell you where he went. He stood with his hand on the door to Granny's dinner, looking at a blonde head that looked impossibly familiar.

Jefferson thought to himself,_'It can't be her. She died. She's dead, Regina said- Regina.'_

The blonde woman moved her long golden hair off her back revealing a circular red and black tattoo of a dragon with three heads, the sigil of her house. Jefferson knew that tattoo well, it was a close reflection of the sharp tongued and fiery hearted princess that Alice was. A side that her soft layered gowns and polite diction hid, a side that Jefferson loved dearly. Jefferson inhaled deeply and opened the door hoping that she was real, that she wasn't a figment of his broken mind. Jefferson gritted his teeth and stepped inside walking to the booth where the blonde woman, his Alice, sat.


	2. Going down the rabbit hole

Henry sat with Emma after his appointment with Doctor Hopper, Henry reading his book and Emma filling out reports. Henry was flipping through his book trying to locate a specific story or picture, Emma didn't know which.

"Hey Emma? Do you remember my principal, Miss Kingsleigh?" Henry said finding a passage in his storybook and scanning it.

"Tall, blonde, British?" Emma asked setting her pen down.

Henry nodded,"I think I figured out who she is in the book."

Emma glanced over at her son, and decided to humour him,"Who?"

"Alice, like Alice in Wonderland. Mr. Gold gave me a book about it. He said he found it in the library he thought it might have been a companion to my book." Henry said and Emma noticed that the book was colbalt blue instead of brown,"She's the Mad Hatter's wife and Grace's mom."

Emma looked up,"Wait,wasn't she like seven?"

Henry stared at her,"No, at least in my book, she was 16."

Emma quirked up an eyebrow,"Hopefully, Alice is less mad than her husband."

Henry flipped a page in his book,"Alice wasn't-Oh hi Ms. Kingsleigh."

Emma turned around and saw a tall curvy blonde woman in dark blue jeans and a black tanktop,"Ms. Kingsleigh."

"Always nice to see you again Sheriff, but please call me Alex." Ms. Kingsleigh said shaking Emma's hand warmly, she glanced at Henry pretending to peer over his shoulder,"What are you up to Henry?"

Henry smiled,"Operation Cobra, I finally figured out who you are."

Alex sat down across from Henry,"Who?"

"Alice like Alice in Wonderland." Henry said flipping the book and showing Alex a photo of someone who looked like her on the back of a black rearing Friesian stallion.

Alex raised an eyebrow,"Your evidence?"

"Well this picture looks like you, and you have the same tattoo, in the same spot too." Henry said flipping to a photo of a girl's back with a tattoo of a three headed red dragon in a circle, and Alex rubbed her neck nervously.

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose,"It's just a tattoo Henry."

Henry stared at Alex,"I'll find more evidence."

Alex smiled,"Thank you Henry."

Henry flipped through his book and showed Alex a photo,"Here, It also states that you're the Mad Hatter's wife and Grace's mom, you probably also have the scars across your stomach."

Alex and Emma both stared at Henry, Alex voices held disbelief,"Wait married? With a kid? I think I would remember that."

"Mary Margaret said the same thing." Emma said quietly.

"Let me guess, she's Snow White?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, and Regina is the Evil Queen." Emma said as Alex nodded in understanding.

"So who's Gold?" Alex asked.

"Rumplestiltskin." Henry said, Alex miled slightly as if it made perfect sense,"In my book it said you used to work for him, and so did the Mad Hatter, your husband."

"Who's my husband, here?" Alex asked leaning forward mimicking his excitement.

Henry got excited with how accepting Alex was of the curse idea, and Emma spoke,"The crazy guy who lives in the mansion on the hill."

Alex looked at Emma her brown eyes narrowed,"I thought it was empty. No one seems to live in it for extended periods of time."

"Well he's crazy and alone, a perfect combinations." Emma snarked.

"Are you sure he's crazy? Grief looks like insanity sometimes." Alex started,"You don't know what his life was like."

"You're right but I do know he kidnapped Mary Margaret and me." Emma said meeting Alex's gaze.

"When?" Alex asked searching her memory for times Mary Margaret and Emma went missing and moving her hair off her back.

"When Mary Margret was a suspect of murder, she got out of the jail cell." Emma mumbled.

"How?" Alex said,"Trust me unless you have a set of keys, it's not exactly easy to get out of a cell."

A masculine voice spoke,"_Unless_ you are me."

Emma narrowed her eyes and Alex turned around causing Jefferson to look like he was shot, his eyes widening slightly"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Testy, aren't we?" Jefferson said sitting next to Alex staring at Emma before flicking his blue eyes toward Alex,"Maybe you should have some hot chocolate."

"What the hell do you mean,'Unless you are me?' you pompous arrogant-"

"Emma!" Alex said before introducing herself to Jefferson,"Alexandra Kingsleigh, and you are?"

Jefferson kissed her hand and bowed his head,"Jefferson, at your service."

"Enchanted," Emma rolled her eyes at the two of them before Alex continued speaking,"So it's kidnapping the only crime you've committed or have you others?"

"Now, why would I admit to that?" Jefferson said his voice playful, shifting so his knee was touching Alex's thigh.

Emma sighed,"Anyways, I still need to figure out how she got out because I doubt that she had a lock picking set. Do you know who would?"

Alex looked at Jefferson,"Gold hires me when it comes to that, otherwise most people use rocks. Which I find too messy."

Alex arched an eyebrow,"You are quite the diva."

Jefferson shrugged,"But if it's in the police station, I'd blame Regina."

Emma narrowed her eyes," Spill, you lunatic."

Jefferson's eyes got wide and he blinked innocently,"Why? Anything I say is inadmissible in court and there'd be a conflict of interest. If you excuse me I'm late for a meeting. Sheriff, Sheriff's spawn, Alexandra, au revoir."

Jefferson got up and walked out of Granny's as Alex turned around and watched him exit,"You never said he was attractive."

"Alex, don't date the crazy guy." Emma sighed as Alex turned her head back.

"Who said anything about dating him, I'm just gonna sit on him a bit." Alex said smiling rakishly.

Emma looked at Alex with a reprimanding stare as Henry looked between the two of them, confused. Isabelle walked up in pants and a white corset top with pink flowers printed on it, with the red mandatory apron covering her top,"Who was tall, dark, and disturbed?"

"Jefferson, he's crazy." Emma said hopping Isabelle could talk some sense into her sister.

Isabelle smiled and swatted her sister,"Oh so just your type."

"Ha ha." Alice laughed dryly.

"Isabelle…." Emma started.

"I'm kidding, mostly. Anyways, Albert Einstein defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, such as going against Regina, or skipping school repeatedly." Isabelle said smiling slightly, pretending to send a reprimanding look at Henry, who was hiding"Alex can you please come out tonight?"

Alex sighed,"I have a lot of work."

"You always have work." Isabelle whined.

"Alright, just tonight." Alex said stipulating to her little sister's demands.

"What's tonight?" Emma asked.

"I'm being dragged to the Rabbit Hole for drinks tonight, please come?" Alex said hopefully,"You can invite Mary Margaret too, please?"

Henry looked up,"You should do it, Emma. It'll get my Mom off our backs."

Isabelle grinned wickedly,"Perfect, and Regina might be so suspicious because your only close friend is Mary Margaret."

Emma looked at Isabelle her ink black hair curling wildly and glanced at Alex who was staring at her curiously,"Alright."

"So we'll meet up there, around 10?" Isabelle asked looking around the table.

"Yeah, see you then." Emma said shaking Isabelle's hand as she went back into the kitchen.

"I have to go." Alex said standing up and brushing dust off her pants.

_**(Rabbit hole)**_

"So this is the Rabbit Hole?" Emma asked looking around seeing two men at a bar having a drink and various other people gathered around tables and chatting, the bar was almost empty but it had a warm friendly atmosphere.

"Yep." Isabelle said tugging at the strap of her lacy black dress.

"So what are we doing? A game of billiards?" Alex asked dressed more like she was going to work then to drink, her blonde hair down to a few inches past her shoulders, and in black jeans, boots, and a white button down with the first two buttons undone.

Ruby chimed in,"Men?"

Isabelle let out a bark of laughter, and Mary Margaret shook her head,"No, we have work in a couple of days and I get enough problems as is."

Alex narrowed her eyes at Mary Margaret protectively,"If you're having issues with someone. I can deal with it."

"Hello handsome." Ruby said looking over Alex and Emma,"Hot guy, 6 o'clock."

Alex looked behind her seeing Jefferson and Whale drinking, Whale looking excited like he won something and Jefferson looking like he had his own private storm cloud over his head. Whale went to clap Jefferson on the shoulder dropping his hand as Jefferson flinched. Jefferson looked up and turned around meeting Alex's eyes before clenching his fist and turning away.

"Oh, he's tall dark and disturbed, from the diner." Isabelle said walking forward before Alex grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Leave it alone." Alex growled causing Isabelle to whine.

"I thought you wanted his-" Isabelle started

Alex hissed,"Shut up."

_**(Still at the rabbit hole just from Jefferson and Whale's point of view)**_

"You can't stay locked up in that damned house forever Jefferson." Dr. Whale said slinging back a fifth shot of bourbon.

"Who said I wanted to?" Jefferson asked quietly, he was only here out of courtesy, not because if he spent another minute alone he'd throw up, and definitely not because of Regina's proposition.

"She's dead Jefferson. Has been for years, she'd want you to move on. " Dr. Whale said looking at his best friend, the sad play boy who couldn't move on from a blonde woman with a sharp tongue and sharper wit,"I'm not saying you have to fall in love. I'm just saying that maybe going out with someone might help."

Jefferson looked up at Whale skeptically,"Who did you have in mind?"

"Well Regina is-" Whale stated as he went to clap a hand on Jefferson's back dropping it when he saw the brunet flinch, he glanced up and saw Alex staring at him intrigued, he clenched his fist and turned away,"Sorry I forgot about your thing with touching."

"Anyone but Regina." Jefferson growled his eyes storming,"Hell, I'd rather date you or even Gold before I go near her again."

Whale looked up,"Again?"

"I was lonely and it was before me and Alice were exclusive." Jefferson said offhandedly.

"Wait you two were married by the time you were 18, that means- No." Whale said, his eyes wide," You're telling me Mayor Mills slept with an underaged teenager?"

"When you put it like that, you make it sound more horrible than it was." Jefferson said watching the finger of whiskey swirl around the tumblr.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Whale said leaning closer to Jefferson.

"It wasn't important. What's in the past, when I was 16, should stay there." Jefferson mused.

"Well then what about Alexandra?" Whale asked watching Jefferson choke on the dark amber drink.

"What about her?" Jefferson asked coughing slightly.

"What about dating her?" Whale questioned shoving the usually suave man out of his carefully fortified comfort zone, as he snuck a glance at Ruby.

"Only if you ask out Ruby." Jefferson said glancing in the general direction of Alex and Ruby's table seeing Alex meet his gaze, he clenched his fist and turned back to the bar.

"I can try doesn't mean she'll say yes." Whale grumbled.

"It can't help to put yourself out there." Jefferson said mocking Whale's earlier words.

"So you'll ask out Alexandra?" Whale asked his voice colored with disbelief.

"Only if you buy the next round." Jefferson said standing up and squeezing his eyes shut, warding off another headache.

"Deal." Whale said signalling to the bar keeper as Jefferson sauntered to the table.

Jefferson walked up right behind Alex,"Pardon the interruption, but may I speak to you a moment?"

Emma looked at Jefferson,"I want you to leave us alone."

Jefferson's voice was dry,"And I want a lobotomy. We can't always get what we want, Emma."

Emma bristled at her name as Jefferson glanced toward Alex who nodded, and grabbed her tumbler of whiskey,"Yeah."

Jefferson offered Alex a hand and began to lead her away from the group, and toward the jukebox,"Alex, may I ask a question?"

Alex looked up from where she was thumbing through the juke box selection,"You just did."

"Quit being superfluous." Jefferson said adjusting his scarf watching as Alex twirled her wedding on her finger, a silver band that shared a pattern with his, with two sapphires and a diamond between them.

Alex sighed,"You're no fun, but ask."

Jefferson sighed, and took a deep breath; steeling his nerves,"Alexandra, would you like to go out with me?"

Alex blinked in surprise and Jefferson started to retreat, his voice rambly and anxious,"I'm sorry, I overstepped my boundaries. I shouldn't have asked."

Alex shook her head grabbing Jefferson's sleeve,"The answer is yes."

"I'm so-" Jefferson said pausing as the answer registered with his brain,"Really?"

Alex nodded and pulled a pen of the cup on top of the juke box and turned up Jefferson's hand, scribbling down her number on a napkin,"Call me with a time and place."

Alex kissed Jefferson's cheek before walking off to her friend group and Jefferson felt a slight tingle where she kissed him, it was pins and needles, that feeling you got as circulation rushed to a part of your body that was asleep, he watched her walk away and mumbled,"Bye Alice."

Jefferson walked back to where Whale sat, nursing his 7th? glass of bourbon. Whale looked up as Jefferson grinned and slung back a what was left feeling the liquid burn his throat pleasantly,"Did you get her number?"

Jefferson showed the number scrawled upon his hand,"What Ruby say?"

"Nothing, Isabelle glared at me until I left." Whale slurred not wanting to be on the receiving end of Isabelle's anger.

"You were scared of the 19 year old waitress?" Jefferson asked chuckling slightly,"You should get home though. You have a job."

Whale nodded finishing off his drink,"You should volunteer at the hospital, get out of your house."

Jefferson sighed,"I'll think about it."

"Don't just say you will and then don't actually think about it." Whale mumbled, standing up and staggering.

Jefferson put a steadying hand on Whale's back,"Come on big guy. Let's get you home."

"What did you mean I had a better shot then Regina?" Whale asked causing Jefferson to adjust and grab his jacket leading the taller man to Jefferson's blue car.

"We'll have the conversation when you're sober." Jefferson said opening the back seat,"Come on lay down. You throw up in my car and I kill you."

"I should be helping you." Whale slurred slightly.

"Uh-huh." Jefferson mused, shutting the back door.

_**(Later)**_

"I can't believe you have him your number." Emma said scoffing, swaying slightly.

"He's cute and funny." Alex said thinking of the dry humor that came out of the man,"He's enigmatic."

Isabelle looked up from where she was leaning on Ruby,"You're doing it again. The thing where you skip parts of a conversation."

"So?" Alex asked,"You grasped my meaning."

Isabelle rolled her eyes,"Come on, best friend, let's go. Sister dearest wants to keep debating with Emma and Mary Margaret."

Ruby waved goodbye as she and Isabelle linked hands and began to walk in the General direction of Alex's apartment and Granny's.

"Look he's crazy….." Mary Margaret started.

Alex shot a mildly irritated look,"He's single."

Mary Margaret's cheeks flamed, and Emma continued speaking,"He wears a wedding ring."

Alex shrugged,"And it probably has great significance to him but I'm not one to press on someone else's issues."

"We just want you to be safe." Mary Margaret started.

"Then trust me." Alex said,"Trust me to go with my gut."

"He's crazy." Emma hissed.

"Just trust me." Alex said politely,"You should get home. It's getting late."

Emma nodded and watched Alex walk down the street, her shoulders straighter and her back less rigid, more relaxed than Emma had ever seen her.


	3. Tis the Flashiest of Backs

The guards of the Queen of Hearts dragged Jefferson in a room filled with cloth and sewing supplies. They dumped him in the room and locked the door. Jefferson landed ungracefully and propped himself up on his hands sitting up realizing, in that moment how much Regina cost him. He felt rage boiling up, he stood up and made a promise that if he ever got the hat to work he would kill the queen. He hated the idea of giving into the Queen of Hearts but the sooner he got the hat working, the sooner he got back home to Grace. He started to think about how he was the navigator of the hat and he didn't have the magic to make the 'Hall of Doors' as Alice called it, because after all a hat without magic is just a hat. He looked disparagingly around the room at the room and sent a prayer to the gods that they would protect Grace, as another flare of hatred for Regina flared up he muttered under his breathe,"First Alice and now Grace."

He gently rubbed his neck hissing as his fingers passed by the gauze wrapped around his neck. He grabbed some of the fabric next to him and began to make the hat from memory, calling on what his mother told him when she was growing up. His mind began to wander as his hands worked through the menial task, the almost forgotten muscle memory resurfacing.

_**(Line break)**_

"Your Highness, I am Jefferson." Jefferson said with a bow and kissed her hand, which she returned with a curtsy

"I am Alice Targaryen, heir to the throne." Jefferson blinked at her being unintentionally disarmed by the cunningly intelligent brown eyes. Eyes that were capable of seeing parts of him, he hid away if she looked hard enough. Alice smiled and pulled him to the side of the dance floor out of the way of the dancing and chatting nobles,"Where are you from?"

"Here and there. What gave me away?" Jefferson said relaxing at the interested look in her eyes as she glanced around the great hall spotting a redhead talking loudly to other nobles. Alice's expression darkened.

"Your accent for one, and you aren't trying to talk to my fiancé, you hid back here with me." Alice mused smiling lightly at Jefferson.

"Fair enough, if I'm not overstepping my boundaries, Your Highness, do you love him?" Jefferson asked gently as Alice took a deep breath.

Alice looked at him, her eyes steeled against showing emotion,"No, but love has no place in politics, the Lannisters hope to broker a peace between our family and a union of the heirs was the best fit."

Jefferson studied the woman standing in front of him carefully, the woman who wasn't satisfied with being relegated back to the shadows because of someone less capable was deemed to be a better fit for ruler because he was male,"And?"

Alice looked at him shocked, her smile stretching mischievously,"Plus if rumors are true, something that belongs to my family will go missing with you being spotted. So I see two ways of this going you help me and I help you or one of my father's guards will spot us and have you arrested

"You're twice as evil as you are pretty." Jefferson announced as an armored man approached them, Alice stepped in front of him and smiled at the armored man.

"Princess, is this man bothering you?" The man said glancing at Jefferson appraisingly.

"Not at all, Ser Haelan, he is keeping me company, and I thank you for looking out for me." Alice said earning a confirmatory nod for Haelan who clasped a fist over his heart before turning away and walking back to the group of armored men standing behind the king.

Jefferson grinned as Alice tugged him out of the ballroom, no one sparing them a glance,"Then I guess you need to accompany me. Some insider help wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

Alice nodded her blonde curls bouncing slightly,"We have a deal then."

Jefferson stuck out his hand which Alice firmly shook,"Deal."

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson smiled at the memory, his heart tugging apart painfully. He took a deep shuddering breath and rubbed his eyes remembering the first time Alice met Regina.

_**(Line break)**_

It was a few months or so after they first met, with Jefferson traveling there in his free time and telling her stories of his travels, Alice received permission to become his partner for diplomatic reasons, but in reality, at least for Jefferson, no one expects a woman to steal something. Jefferson was taking her to the Dark Castle to introduce her to Rumpelstiltskin, ask permission and to move her in as Jefferson lived there himself and he really didn't want to travel every time he had a job to go retrieve her.

"Ah Jefferson I was wonder if you could help me with this potion, I can't reach some of the ingredients." Regina asked oblivious to Jefferson's companion.

"Not today Regina, I'm showing my new assistant around the Dark One's castle." Jefferson said reaching behind him brushing an arm by Alice's elbow.

"Oh and who is this "new assistant"?" Regina said referring to his previous conquests, as she fiddled with her necklace pendant.

"That would be me." Alice said, looking at Regina with an indifferent stare.

"Oh I didn't think you needed one," Regina paused for a moment to look Alice up and down,"But of course you would get a pretty one."

"I need someone whose beauty matched my own." Jefferson said, wrapping an arm around Alice,"I'm going to introduce her to Rumpelstiltskin."

"Well i need to talk to Rumpelstiltskin alone." Regina said smoothing her skirts habitually.

"Jefferson said he was going to introduce me, actually." Alice replied her voice even.

"Well my matters are of more importance. So you will wait."

"She will not wait." Jefferson snapped at Regina losing his patience.

"Yes, she will." Regina said glaring at the portal jumper.

"Hey! Rumpelstiltskin! I have someone I want you to meet." Jefferson shouted as Rumple appeared in the room next to the spinning wheel.

"What do you want Jefferson?" Rumpelstiltskin said mildly irritated, walking over to where Alice and Jefferson stood.

"Meet my new assistant, Alice." Jefferson said presenting Alice.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you sir." Alice said curtsied her brown leather dress shifting slightly.

"She's your assistant?" Rumple asked Jefferson circling around Alice as she pushed a loose strand of hair back and allowed her hands to rest on the jeweled belt over her sword sheath's strap.

"Yes she is." Jefferson said proudly which caused Regina to roll her eyes and scoff.

Rumple blinked like he forgot Regina was there, he barely glanced in her direction, "Regina, you need something?"

"Yes but its private." Regina said flicking her eyes to the portal jumper and the princess leaning against him unconsciously.

"Oh come on Regina, we're all friends here." Jefferson grinned rakishly.

"Jefferson, tell me about your assistant."

"I can speak for myself." Alice snapped after being fed up with being ignored.

"I wasn't asking you Dearie, was I?" Rumple said glancing at her like he wasn't impressed.

"No but I can talk about myself." Alice ran a hand through her hair stirring the mix of braids and loose hair.

Rumple ignored the snappish outburst from the blonde and raised an eyebrow at Jefferson,"Well?"

"I wanted an assistant, and she fit the criteria."

"Oh, I doubt there was much." Rumple said causing Jefferson to purse his lips

"Does that really matter?" Jefferson asked watch Rumple move to the spinning wheel.

"I suppose not, but you're on your own."

Jefferson frowned and shrugged,"Aren't I always?"

Rumple waved a hand dismissively at Alice and Jefferson,"Regina what's troubling you this time?"

Jefferson wrapped an arm around Alice,"Come on, let's leave them to their "business". I'll give you the grand tour."

"Oh Jefferson?" Rumple said as the Portal Jumper turned around and looked at him,"I wouldn't get too comfortable. I do have a job for you."

Jefferson rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, pulling Alice along.

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson sighed at the memory, wistfully smiling at the memory of his beautiful wife. He looked at the messy hat in his hand and tossed it to his side when he couldn't feel the heavy magic that settled into his bones when he held his hat. He grabbed a new swatch of fabric and started again.


	4. Interim, interim, its me and him

Victor looked up at an unfamiliar ceiling and glanced at the bed seeing it empty., he walked out of the room hearing loud angry piano being played and he had a flashback to last night.

'_Why didn't you drive me home?' Whale asked stumbling against Jefferson._

'_Because you do dumb things when you're drunk.' Jefferson said opening the door._

'_Oh okay.' Whale said laying his head on the door frame._

_Jefferson tugged Whale through the house and pulled him in front of one of the guest rooms,'Here sleep. I'll be up when you wake up tomorrow."_

_Whale nodded, and stumbled into his room,'Night Jefferson.'_

_Jefferson looked at Whale before shutting the door,'Night, Whale.'_

Whale walked down the stairs, seeing Jefferson play the piano his fingers flying across the keys. HIs eyes focused on the sheet in front of him and oblivious to the distractions from outside his brain. Whale stood next to Jefferson and put a hand on his shoulder, causing the brunette to flinch and hit a sour note on the piano. Jefferson looked up at at Dr. Whale scouting over so his friend could sit down. Whale sat as Jefferson moved the fall board to cover the keys.

"So what did you mean I had a better shot than Regina?" Whale asked looking at his friend.

Jefferson rolled his eyes,"You're like a dog with a bone you know that?"

"You said you'd tell me when I was sober." Whale said pressing his friend's boundaries.

"There isn't anything to tell." Jefferson said furrowing his brow,"I've never had a preference between men or women. I'm selfish."  
Whale narrowed his eyes at his self-deprecating friend,"I don't think that's what they call it."

Jefferson grinned easily,"You said you wanted me to explain, I did. Don't get tumultuous with me because you didn't like the answer."

"I'm not." Whale started before receiving a knowing look from Jefferson.

Jefferson crossed his arms and looked at the wall in front of him,"It's not exactly something I talk about, with how I was raised and what happened when I was younger, it's not something I have really allowed myself to acknowledge it to people outside of Alice. I told her and all she did was smile and start joking about it with me. Not treating me like something was wrong in my head."

Whale looked at Jefferson sadly,"Nothing's wrong with you Jefferson."

Jefferson looked at Whale confused,"I know that. It's just I wish other people would feel the same way."

Whale narrowed his eyes as Jefferson rested his head on his forearms, his blue eyes watery,"Jefferson, what happened?"

"Uh when I was younger I loved someone and they ended up getting hurt because of our heritage and who we found attractive." Jefferson said his voice confused and slightly far away.

"What was his name?" Whale asked putting a hand on Jefferson's arm.

Jefferson rolled his shoulders, shaking Whale off of him,"Saphir. I screwed his family over too, before I realized maybe starting somewhere else, away from everyone I knew and everything I grew up with was the best thing for everyone."

Whale looked at him,"Do you want to talk about it?"

Jefferson shook his head and stood up tightening the scarf around his neck,"No, but I can drive you home whenever you'd like."

Whale watched as Jefferson disappeared into his kitchen and vaguely wondered why the story Jefferson mentioned didn't match up with what he remembered. _"Well he has been known to deny things that were too painful for him to talk about, to remember. The boyfriend dying, then his wife and his daughter dying too? Because of something he couldn't prevent? That would drive anyone to extreme suffering. Especially with Jefferson's personality, he was too busy doing what he thought he was best for other people, ignoring his own needs often to the point of mental and physical exhaustion."_

Whale thought about Alice, the abrasive personality that would spar with you and then be so soft and warm around her loved ones, her Love and her darling. Whale remembered Jefferson showing Whale his newborn, and how protective he was. Hovering over who was holding her, Alice smiling at that, as Jefferson would look at her with a vulnerable look, something unguarded and intimate. Whale thought about Jefferson's colder personality now in place over the warm personality that Whale came close to, as if he wasn't the same person, like the only thing he had in common with the past him was his face and memories.


	5. Your conniving words

Jefferson thought to himself about the events of the past few days. He thought about how stupid and reckless he was '_She's alive. She's safe and she's… she's happy.''_ Jefferson frowned blinking back tears. It was unbelievable and he knew Regina was the cause after all it was a job for Regina that she "died" for and it was Regina who told him that she was dead. Alex, no Alice he told himself the irony of her name was not lost on him, was his love she wouldn't have left without reason, she loved her family more than anything even adventure. Regina must've threatened her _'Yeah that's gotta be it they hate each other. Regina would do anything to make her miserable.' _Jefferson scowled after thinking that, he needed to do something about this. The phone rang and Jefferson sighed, he answered in his usual cheerful tone of voice, when he recognized the number.  
"What do you want?"  
"Jefferson, is that anyway to talk to your mayor?" Regina said smugly.  
"Bite me, Regina." Jefferson had it with Regina and her issues.  
"Tempting. But I have something you need to do for me." Regina grinned.

"What is it?" Jefferson snapped.  
"I need you to get an item for me."  
Regina said her voice honeyed.

"Really? I thought you wanted me to take the Huntsman's place." Jefferson's voice dripped with sarcasm.  
"Ha Ha," Regina chuckled dryly, "No I have a job for you and your hat."  
"My hat? It's still in the enchanted forest." Jefferson said his voice cold with a storm of emotion.

"No, it isn't. It's in my house."Regina replied as if he was stupid.

"What would happen if I refused this job?" Jefferson didn't want to risk getting screwed by Regina but he needed to set the boundaries.  
"Nothing, but I'd be disappointed." Regina  
said her voice falsely disappointed.

"Oh your Majesty disappointed? My heart bleeds for you." Jefferson bit back sarcastically.  
"Jefferson I have no time for chit-chat. Are you in or not?"Regina asked her queenly tone showing up.

"Depends, what's in it for me?"  
"Depends on what you want."  
"My wife and daughter to know who I am." Jefferson hung up leaving Regina puzzled staring at the wall _'What the hell did he mean by that? Did he accidentally say wife? What did Alice have to do with it? Did he know she was alive?'_ Regina shook her head and knew he would call back. Jefferson sat back on his couch very smug and satisfied with himself. He heard a knock at the door and got up. '_Aren't I popular today?'_ Jefferson thought to himself amused. He reached the door opening it and seeing Rumple standing there. He recognized the evil glint in Rumple's eye and stood in the doorway dreading the feeling that settled in his stomach, realizing that the imp was up to something.

"Rumple." Jefferson growled.  
"Hello Jefferson. Can I come in?" Rumple asked his hand gripping his cane.

Jefferson sighed, "Might as well."  
"Thank you."Rumple said his voice filled with  
the usual pleasantries.

"No problem. Least I could do." Jefferson said dryly .

"Have you talked to Regina recently?"  
Rumple asked looking at the former portal jumper questioningly.

"Yes, why?" Jefferson knew Regina did something to piss off Gold, and that something he would end up fixing.  
"I have a feeling she's trying to steal something from me."  
"And what would that be?"  
"Something very powerful and dangerous in her hands."  
"Is it that damn double sided candle stick? And don't you dare avoid the question." Jefferson said his patience fuse short.

"It isn't. What it is is on a need to know basis, so can I trust you to make sure she keeps her hands out of my business?"  
"I'll do my best." Jefferson said, a sour taste left in his mouth at what he had to do.

_**(Line break)**_  
Alex and Isabelle sat next to each other in Granny's whispering when Emma and Mary Margaret came to join them and sat across from them.  
"Should I call him?" Alex asked.  
"Yes, because if you don't I will." Isabelle hissed back.  
"Hey guys what are we talking about?" Emma said as she slid into the booth followed by Mary Margret.  
"Nothing." Alex said glaring at Isabelle before she could open her mouth.  
"You two are talking about Jefferson aren't you?" Mary Margaret interjected.  
Alex set her jaw, "And If we are?"  
"He's dangerous Alex. You need to stay away from him, you'll get hurt."  
Emma said smiling to put the other blonde at ease  
"I'm a big girl Emma." Alex slid out of the booth, "Now if you excuse me I have a phone call to make."  
"Isabelle, you have to change her mind." Emma pressed.  
"I can't she's stubborn." Isabelle looked conflicted.  
"You have to try." Mary Margaret said leaning forward slightly.

"You say he's crazy right?" Emma nodded, and Isabelle continued speaking, "You treat him as if he's one dimensional. He most likely isn't."  
"So? He's still crazy."  
Emma said defensively.

Isabelle sighed and grimaced, "I'll try, but she's stubborn so she'll probably ignore me."  
"Thank you." Emma and Mary Margaret got up and left.  
Isabelle sighed, "This won't be good."  
_**(Line break) **_

Alex was pacing in the alley next to Granny's "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up."  
"Hello?" Jefferson answered with confusion evident in his voice.  
"Hey Jefferson it's me, Alex."Alex said rubbing the back of her neck nervously  
"Oh hey, did you need something?" Jefferson asked his voice trying to remain calm.

"Yeah I have a question to ask you?"Alex said nervously.

"Sure... Ask away."Jefferson said.

"Do you want to go on a date, with me, some time?"Alex spoke her voice blunt and to the point.  
Jefferson was taken back momentarily by her bluntness and nervousness "Uh, Sure. What time?"  
"Um, Thursday 8:30 and you'll pick me up?" Alex said as a proposition  
"Sure only one problem I don't know where you live." Jefferson smiled.  
Alex quickly told him "So see you Thursday."  
"See you then, Alex." Jefferson and Alex ended up hanging up at the same time. Alex smiled to herself before having a mild panic attack wondering what she just did. Jefferson smiled and pulled on his scarf a bit to ground himself. 


	6. Date night

Alex was finished touching up her makeup when she heard a knock outside her door.  
"Hold on. Just a minute." She quickly glanced at herself in the mirror, she was wearing a black V-neck dress that hugged her curves, she looked elegant and classy and looked more composed than she felt. She quickly checked her red lipstick for smudges and did another quick once over before slipping on a nice pair of black heels. She smiled when she saw Jefferson standing there holding a bouquet of red carnations.  
"Jefferson, you look nice." Alex smiled at him.  
Jefferson returned it and quickly held out the flowers, "Nowhere near as nice as you look, and these are for you."  
Alex took the flowers and gestured for Jefferson to follow her in as she looked for a vase for them. She found a tall vase covered in colors that looked like little splashes of water. She put them on the kitchen counter where they'd be easy to see from her room, as she turned around to face him, Jefferson offer his elbow and grinned,"M'Lady."  
Alice rolled her eyes and took his elbow, "You are such a dork."  
"I know." Jefferson smugly said, "But admit it I'm charming."  
"Mildly." Alex replied trying not to laugh.  
"Thank you." Jefferson said smiling sweetly.

"Only a few syllable sentences? I'm disappointed, Jefferson, I thought you were more intelligent than that." Jefferson stuck out his tongue, and Alex playfully swatted at him, "So I'm curious why ask me out on a date?"  
Jefferson turned and pointed at her,"Technically you asked me."  
"Then why say yes?" Alex asked as they stepped off the curb  
"Why not? I thought you would be interesting on a date."Jefferson said tightening his scarf.

"Most women would be offended by that." Alex said looking at him.  
"How so?"Jefferson asked furrowing his brow.

"It seems like you're only interested in sleeping with them."Alex replied her eyes missing the trademark intelligence Jefferson loved.

"A woman who believes that is not worth my time." Jefferson replied softly, "I believe that cheesy lines should not work on beautiful women."  
"Oh trust me they don't."Alex said her tone was cool.

"You'd be surprised. Most women don't come close to possessing your intelligence so they end up falling for the lines." Alex's cheeks flushed slightly at this as Jefferson started to pull her up the steps to an Italian restaurant, "Come on we're here."  
"Poetic." Alex said shaking her head as they were quickly seated and Jefferson pulled out her chair for her. They looked at the menu and quickly ordered.  
"So Jefferson what do you do in your free time?"Alex asked looking up from her menu.

"I read and play piano."  
"Really you play piano? I've always tried to learn but never had the time."Alex said closing her menu.

"To be honest, piano takes a lot of work, I only learned because all I have is free time."Jefferson replied bitterly.  
"What do you like to read?"Alex said trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh you know Dracula, Frankenstein, poetry. Stuff like that."Jefferson said awkwardly.  
"So you like horror?" Alex pressed knotting her fingers together.  
"Occasionally."Jefferson said shrugging.

"I prefer fairytales to be honest with you. Not like Snow White and Prince Charming, like adventure type tales." Jefferson nodded his head at her. Alex looked at him meaningfully, "If you don't mind me asking how you ended up in your very large house?"  
"Good personal ties." Jefferson smiled at her sadly, "But it's not the same all alone."  
"I see. So do you have any questions for me? I can tell you don't talk much." Alex replied seeing Jefferson's sad smile.

"How long have you been in Storybrooke?"  
"Um…. As long as I can remember." Alex said with confusion crossing her features.  
"Ah. What made you want to become a principal?"  
"I really don't remember, it's just how things worked out. My parents would have prefered a less demanding career path."Alex said," My mother would prefer me as a housewife."

"You as a housewife, I have trouble seeing that."Jefferson said laughing, before sobering up,"How do you feel about our dear mayor?"  
"She's domineering and a little cruel but Henry's pretty cool. He hangs out with me and his friend, Paige, during lunch." Alex said smiling softly.

Jefferson's hand curled into a fist under the table at the mention of Paige, but spoke trying to get rid of the vice on his heart,"Have you heard about Henry's storybook? I mean who does he think you are?"  
"Oh it's stupid really." Jefferson looked at her like curiously, gesturing for her to continue,"He thinks I'm Alice, like from Alice in Wonderland."  
"Really?" Jefferson smiled, "He thinks I'm the Mad Hatter. "

Alex choked on her drink,"Are you serious?" Jefferson nodded, causing Alex's words to tumble out"Oh my god, in his story book we're married with a daughter named Grace."  
"Well then, talk about awkward first in-counters." Jefferson grinned, as Alex looked at him with veiled amusement.  
"I could actually see that. You as the Mad Hatter. I've always liked him." Alex said imagine Jefferson as the Mad Hatter.

"And I, Alice." Jefferson nudging Alex with his knee slightly.

"You are such an idiot." Alex said shaking her head.

"Ah, but for now I'm your idiot." Alex snorted at this, as her smile fell of her face causing Jefferson to frown, "Did I say something wrong?"  
"No, but I think Emma just showed up." Alex looked annoyed while Jefferson blanched slightly.  
"Would you rather have her show up when we're doing other things?" Jefferson said with a suggestive look.  
"Really Jefferson?" Alex groaned, "We need to figure out what we're going to do."  
"We could act really sappy towards each other?" Jefferson suggested unhelpfully.  
"Let's be serious. I'm not going to let Emma interrupt my date. I'm not a child I don't need to be checked up on." Alex said steeling her jaw and narrowing her eyes.  
"I think she's checking up on me actually?"  
Jefferson said furrowing his brow

"Still! We are two consenting adults. Do you have an idea?"Alex said outraged.

"Yeah you shot it down." Emma spotted them and walked over.  
"Hey guys, how's it going?"  
Emma said putting a hand on Jefferson's back ignoring the way he tensed.

"Emma what are you doing here?"Alex asked politely.

"Getting dinner."Emma said replying shortly

"Really that's it?" Alex had disbelief on her face.  
"Well then we shouldn't keep you." Jefferson said smiling politely  
"No I have time." Emma said using a sheriff-esque voice.

"Emma, please could you leave?" Alex asked smiling awkwardly.

"Fine but I thought while I was here I would check up on you, Alexandra."Emma said glaring at Jefferson who was intrigued by his silverware.

"I'm fine and I was enjoying a delicious meal with my date." Alex said gesturing to Jefferson.,"So there was no need to check in."

"No, there was. I'm your friend who's worried about you dating the town crazy I wanted to check to see if you were fine." Emma said trying to stare down Jefferson who was ignoring her.

"I'm fine." Alex said her temper coming through the cracks in calm and collected demeanor. Jefferson looked up as cracks of Alice appeared through Alex's personality.

"Well I didn't know that. So I came to check on you when I saw you."Emma tried to justify.

"See she's fine, may we continue on our date now?" Jefferson snapped, being fed up with how Emma was ignoring what Alex was saying.  
"Fine. Bye you two have fun." Emma said meeting defiant blue eyes.

"Well that was eventful. Are you enjoying your dinner?"Jefferson asked looking at Alex smiling softly."Yes. Very much. You?"  
Alex asked reaching an arm across and holding Jefferson's hand.

"Yes but I'm enjoying your company even more."Jefferson said flirtatiously.  
Alex blushed slightly, "Thank you."  
"I believe a beautiful women should be showered with compliments." Jefferson said thinking of how woman would fall at his feet with a few pretty words, but Alice didn't, she took effort, she made the chase worth it.  
"That's a very good belief. I don't really believe in the whole true love type thing. Like where you know who your soulmate is right away." Jefferson expression fell but before Alex could notice it, he replaced it with a mask of impassiveness.  
"I used to be like that but my best friend changed my mind." Jefferson said his voice far away in thought.  
"Dr. Whale?"Alex asked thinking of how close they seemed at the Rabbit Hole.

"No he's my friend, my best friend you would have liked her. She was a lot like you." Jefferson shook his head, his voice sad.  
"I'm sorry what happened? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want too."Alex asked noticing Jefferson's distress.  
"She, uh, she died a few years ago." Jefferson said his voice strangled and contained.

"I'm sorry." Alex smiled at him empathetically.

"Let's not dwell on such a depressing subject. She wouldn't want me to kill the mood on a date that's been going so well." Alex laughed, as she finished the rest of her food. The waiter brought back the check that Jefferson quickly paid for. Jefferson drove her back to her apartment.  
"This was a really nice dinner. We should do it again some time." Alex said standing in front of her door.

"Yeah I'll call you. Before the big storm rolls in." Jefferson remembered seeing on the news that there was a big storm coming in to Storybrooke in the next week.  
Alex opened the door into her darkened apartment and placed a chaste kiss on Jefferson's lips,"I'd like that. See you soon."  
"Bye Alex." Jefferson left the apartment with a big slight grin on his face. As he walked toward his car he noticed that he felt lighter than he had in decades and for once things began to look up for him.


	7. flashback

Jefferson and Alice were walking in the pouring rain, soaked. Jefferson shivered slightly as the wind cut through them because he gave Alice his coat.  
"Well that could have gone worse." Jefferson joked playfully elbowing Alice.  
"This is a fantastic mess we got into." Alex replied pulling the heavy jacket closer around her.  
"Well its better then coming here when you're 14 and alone." Jefferson shuddered at the thought of his first job.  
Alice shivered slightly,"Pan gives me the creeps."  
"Me too, but we should head back as soon as possible. We can't have you getting sick."  
Jefferson mused.  
"You're not the boss of me."Alice retorted.  
"Technically I am, and the Dark One is the boss of me and he would kill me if I got you sick and your father told me to protect you."  
Jefferson said staring at Alice, who was glaring at him from behind strips of wet blonde hair.

"Fine." Alice said pushing some of her soaking hair out of her face.  
"Don't get cranky with me." Jefferson shot back.  
"I'm not trying to be, I'm just not pleased with being soaked." Alice said shivering underneath the waterlogged coat.  
"Well that's what rain does, yet you don't hear me bitching." Jefferson said with an eyeroll.  
"Well don't boss me around, I thought this was going to be a partnership of equals. Let's just do what we need to do and go home." Alice said clasping her hands together.  
"Fine." Jefferson ran a hand through his wet hair.  
"So any idea where this dreamshade is, Mr. I Know Everything? Because lead the way I'm getting wetter." Alice said pulling his jacket around her tightly.  
Jefferson grinned and thought,_' I bet you are',_ "Just up that big ass mountain."  
"Oh great, first rain now mud." Alice said as her foot sank into a squishy part of the ground at the bottom of the mountain.  
"Where's your sense of adventure?" Jefferson said beginning to climb up the mountain.  
"Somewhere it's not raining." Alice grunted as she followed him up the mountain.  
"So back home?" Jefferson mused glancing down.  
"Yeah pretty much." Alice said swearing as she slipped and lost her grip on a rock.

"Well the sooner we get done…" Jefferson trailed off not needing to finish the sentence.  
"I know. I know."Alice sighed, laughing as Jefferson yelped when  
a plant dumped water on him"Well look on the bright side," Alice looked at him confused, so Jefferson continued," It honestly could be worse. We could have been captured by Pan or pirates."  
"Wow so optimistic." Alice grumped as Jefferson helped her up the cliff. Jefferson rounded the bend first reaching the waterfall and the sat on a rock while waiting for Alice to catch up, she was being slowed down by Jefferson's jacket which was a little heavy dry and was extremely heavy wet.  
"We could have been here way sooner if your hat wasn't so damn temperamental." Alice said glaring at the kohl eyed man,

Jefferson looked at the hat in his hand,"It's not temperamental. It gets us as close as we can without getting into trouble."  
"We landed on the other side of Neverland, and I wouldn't call running into Pan not trouble."  
Alice said leaning on a rock trying to catch her breath.  
"Here let me get the dreamshade." Jefferson pulled out a dagger and carefully pulled a couple of brambles out and cut them wrapping them in some cloth he had.  
"Don't hurt yourself." Alice said a little concerned.  
"I won't. I've done this before. Now we need water from behind the dreamshade."  
Jefferson said standing back searching for a weakness in the brambles.

"How are we going to get water from behind a wall of deadly plant?"  
Alice said standing next to Jefferson, her brown eyes calculating the weakness in the brambles.

"Not we… you. You're small enough and if you protect your face you should be fine. My coat will protect you. I would do it for you but I'm too tall and broad now." Jefferson handed Alice the dagger,"Take this it will help you get rid of the brambles."  
Jefferson sat down and watched her wiggle through the brambles and disappear,_'I am not in attracted to her, she's pretty that's all.''  
_Alice slunk back through the hole she made and smiled back at Jefferson,"This is fun."  
"Ready to go?" Jefferson smiled at her, disheveled appearance she looked happy, at peace with herself not having to be prim and proper but a swearing snarling warrior with royal blood and a good heart. _'Like Regina said just a pretty little thing in a skirt. You fall for any pretty little thing that gives you attention.'  
_"Why are you staring at me like that?" Alice said her radiant smile dimming slightly.  
"Like what?" Jefferson asked snapping out of his thoughts.  
"Like i have something on my face."  
Alice said rubbing her face out of habit.

"You do." Jefferson leaned down and picked up a wad of mud and threw it nailing her in the face.  
"What the hell? That not fair." Alice shrieked wiping mud off her face she leaned down to brush dirt of her skirt when she picked up some mud and nailed Jefferson on the forehead,"Haha revenge."  
Jefferson wiped the mud off his face before gesturing to the hat in his hand,"We should get going."  
"Agreed."Alice said her voice breathless from laughter  
Jefferson tossed the hat and watched it spin," Ready? JUMP!"  
_**(Blah blah blah line break)  
**_"Finally we're home." Alice said looking relieved.  
"You look disgusting." Jefferson knew he didn't look any better, but was amused at the mud smearing the blonde princess knowing she probably would have been in a worse situations with not just mud smeared on her face.

"So do you Narcissus." Alice rolled her eyes at him as Jefferson picked up his hat.  
"Well then don't mar my handsome looks." Alice snorted at that before Jefferson came up and started tickling her sides.  
"Quit it." Alice shrieked, Jefferson stopped for a minute and pretended to think about it before continuing.  
"Not gonna happen 'lice."_**(A/N 'lice rhymes with hiss)**_Jefferson said only stopping when he was gently pushed off of him.

"No we need to bring the stuff to the Dark One and then we can clean up." Alice said gasping for breath.  
Jefferson immediately sobered up,"I guess you're right. "  
They walked to the castle which was roughly ten minutes away before walking into the room where Rumpelstiltskin sat spinning gold on his wheel and Regina stood there focusing on a potion with a corset so tight she looked like she would pop out of it.  
"Hello Jefferson and… you." Regina said her smile falling when she saw Alice come up behind Jefferson.  
"Hello Regina." Jefferson said grinning at Alice mischievously.  
"You look disgusting." Regina said glancing at Jefferson who was dirty, sweaty, and soaking.  
"I could give you a big hug." Jefferson said extending his arms out.  
"Ahh Jefferson and Lady Alice, I was only expecting one of you to come back." Rumplestiltskin said completely ignoring Regina's noise of protest.  
"The hat doesn't work like that." Jefferson said out of habit.  
"I know." Rumple said trying to force his double meaning across.

"It's almost like you want to get rid of me." Jefferson said injuriedly

"Did you get what I needed?" Rumple said ignoring the comment.

"Yes we did." Alice said putting the bag on the table by Regina.  
"We nearly died." Jefferson responded trying to get a response out of Rumple besides a passive remark.  
"Oh good. Well you two can go I got what I needed." Rumple said dismissively waving his hand.

"You treacherous little-" Jefferson snarled, Alice had been stifling a cough the whole time and coughed tugging on Jefferson's sleeve.  
"Jefferson lets just go. Get out of these wet clothes." Alice said her voice low.

"What seeing him in sopping wet clothes isn't enough?" Regina taunted.  
"Why you insipid-" Alice couldn't finish the insult because she started coughing. Jefferson finished retrieving the gold from Rumple and went to go see if she was okay.  
"Don't." Jefferson put an arm on her back as she straightened up as he glanced at Regina, but his question was phrased for Alice,"Are you sick?"  
"No, but thank you for asking." Regina said thinking the question was for her.  
Jefferson ignored her,"Alice? You're right, we should get out of these wet clothes. The last thing we need is a chill."  
"Are you suggesting something?" Alice asked smiling mischievously, her voice slightly hoarse from coughing.  
"Don't flatter yourself honey." Regina said pulling her dress down slightly making her corset sit lower than what was decent.

"Like you've got a shot." Alice replied snarkily.  
"Jefferson, still looks like you have girls fighting over you." Rumple said putting away the dreamshade.  
"Why wouldn't they?" Jefferson smiled as gestured to himself,"What are you not seeing?"

"I'm going to go change clothes." Alice said about to turn away.  
"What can't handle the heat?" Regina taunted.  
Alice went to lunge at Regina when Jefferson wrapped his arms around Alice before pulling her close to his chest before she had a chance.  
"Why are you defending her?" Alice whispered looking up at Jefferson.  
"I don't want to look for a new assistant." Jefferson whispered back, trying to get Alice to calm down,"You're the only one I liked."  
"I can take her." Alice hissed.  
"You'd be killed for treason." Jefferson whispered looking down at Alice.  
"Fine." Alice growled.  
"Never a dull day here." Rumple said walking back to his spinning wheel.  
Alice shot Regina in icy glare, before Jefferson's grip loosened  
Regina ignored the glare and shot Jefferson a flirtatious grin,"Bye Jefferson."  
"Bye Regina." Jefferson replied in a honeyed voice pushing/pulling Alice out of the room.  
"You don't have a chance Regina." Rumple chimed in from where he was sitting by his wheel.  
"Pardon?" Regina asked looking up from her potion.  
"With Jefferson. You don't have a chance." Rumple said turning to face the queen.  
"What makes you say that?" Regina asked smoothing her hair.  
"You forget Dearie, I see the future." Rumple said dismissively.  
"So what happens to Jefferson?" Regina asked her tone worried.

"Can't tell you that. You'll try to change it, they always try to change it."  
Rumple said his voice rather cryptic.  
"They-not me." Regina said tilting her head haughtily.  
"Still not going to tell you."Rumple said his voice rather impish.  
Regina looked frustrated," You are impossible."  
Rumple just smiled at her. Jefferson came back into the room and knocked on the door dressed in clean clothes and his hair slightly damp.  
"Can I have tomorrow off?" Jefferson asked as he leaned on the door.  
"Why?" Rumple said glancing at the door.  
"Because I'll be dead on my feet and useless on a job." Jefferson replied like the answer to the question was obvious.  
"If you must," Jefferson nodded and turned around to leave,"Jefferson does this have anything to do with Alice?"  
"No why would it?" Jefferson didn't know whether or not it did have something to do with Alice.  
"No reason. Now get out I have work to do." Rumple shooed Jefferson out of the room with a dismissive wave of his hand,"You should be going too, Regina, head back to your husband."  
"Always a pleasure Rumplestiltskin." Regina said before walking out in a swish of skirts.  
_**(Line break lalalalalala)  
**_Jefferson couldn't sleep which was a first because usually after a job he'd fall asleep almost immediately or read until he fell asleep. He decided to take a walk in the garden when he saw Alice illuminated by a form of light that was obscured by a plant. He moved and saw that she was making animals out of fire. Alice was distracted and didn't see him till he spoke.  
"What are you doing?" Jefferson asked stepping out of the shadows, Alice jumped and turned around her flame extinguished.  
"Practicing magic. Isn't that why you hired me?"  
Alice asked her tone mildly confused.  
"I hired you because I thought you'd be a nice addition to my job. I thought you were a regular princess." Jefferson said speaking plainly, his words not dressed up for someone's entertainment.  
"Well I'm not." Alice said habitually raising her chin challengingly.  
"Really? I had no idea." Jefferson said sarcastically ignoring the prompted challenge.

"Well you don't pay attention."Alice said as if she was stating the obvious.

Jefferson rolled his eyes,"So you and Regina seem to be best friends."  
Alice rolled her eyes at him,"What's going on with her? Do you like her?"  
"Define like." Jefferson said staring up at the sky.  
"Come on, I see that she has a crush on you."  
Alice said nudging him.

"What does that have to do anything?"  
Jefferson said looking at Alice confused.  
"Well do you like her?" Alice asked being a little nosey.  
"Well like can mean different things." Jefferson said awkwardly.

"Fine then, do you love her?" Alice asked looking at Jefferson.  
"I don't do love."Jefferson scowled Alice shot him a disbelieving look," Do you?"  
"Yes I grew up hearing true love was magic, I just haven't had it myself yet." Alice said staring at Jefferson through her hair,"It was necessary in politics, so I put away the thought of having it away."

"What is it?" Jefferson sat down and Alice kneeled down next to him,"I get the concept but how can you trust your heart enough to know that a person you know almost nothing about is your soulmate?"  
"I don't know I think you just connect with someone and you remember little things like the way they smile or how kind they are or no matter what they can always make you smile and laugh." Alice's voice got slightly wistful and Jefferson thought,_'She's not talking about you why would she's a princess you just a rotten thief. Why would she be remotely interested in you?'  
_"I understand the concept, but I've seen too many people betrayed by their heart to trust mine and let's face it, I'm not a family man. I don't want kids, never will." Jefferson said, his tone determined like he made his mind up and wasn't going to waver.

"I heard growing up, that true love is the most powerful magic of all."Alice said her voice slightly out of it, like her mind was somewhere else,"But I believe it's naive to think that true love can't mean familial love too."

"That's uh, that's a pretty powerful conviction." Jefferson looked at her sideways and smiled slightly,"Do you have any siblings?"  
"Yeah a little sister and a little brother." Alice smiled at the thought of her,"You?  
"Nah I'm an only child." Jefferson knew he was lying but the truth still made his ribs hurt and tasted bitter on his tongue.  
They talked back and forth, Alice showing off her magic and Jefferson telling stories until dawn broke and then they got up and went to bed sleeping the next day away.


	8. A storm of epic preportions

Alex shuffled the papers on her desk and looked at Emma who sitting across from her. She hated having these meetings but Mary Margaret asked her so she would deal with Regina and Emma who couldn't even be in the same room as each other, so she would hold the same PTA meeting twice with the oncoming storm.  
"So Alex why did you call me down here?"  
"You had the PTA meeting with Mary Margaret and she didn't want to deal with you and Regina fighting so she asked me."  
"Oh, so what's up in your life?"Emma asked awkwardly, already knowing about how Henry was doing in school.

"My personal life? Shouldn't we be talking about Henry?" Alex asked slightly shocked.

"Yeah I guess you're right." Emma said running a hand through her hair.  
"Well something I noticed is since you've shown up is that he seems to be happier and more open with people. He's recently become friends with a girl named Paige in his class." Alex said smiling politely remembering the wave of protectiveness the blonde girl would bring up in her.

"Really? That name sounds familiar." Emma furrowed her brow in thought.  
"I wouldn't know why unless Henry introduced her to you." Alex said looking through her papers.  
"No, that's the girl Jefferson thinks is his daughter." Emma said her voice icy.

Alex looked at the papers in front of her and cleared her throat awkwardly," So what's going on with you and Regina?"  
"She's being a bitch like always." Emma said her tone no longer icy but flaring up with rage.  
"You're preaching to the choir, but it must not be easy on Henry to see his parents fight."Alex said sympathetically.

"I know, but she picks a fight with me." Emma said her voice holding annoyance.  
"There are times where you must take the high road," Alex explained before softly continuing,"Even though the low road is more fun. But you are the sheriff and, according to Henry, the savior. Take the high road and you leave the low road to the morally flexible people. Gold is as slimy as he is smart and he hates Regina, he would be a valuable ally."  
"I guess you're right but he is a self-serving businessman I wouldn't call him an ally, and he isn't very trustworthy." Emma said remembering what he did to get her elected as Sheriff.  
"I'm not saying trust him but he's a good man. It wouldn't hurt to have him in your corner."  
Alex said her voice honest.

"Fair enough. What's going on between you and Jefferson?" Emma asked leaning forward.  
"I like him he's nice." Alex said her voice happy and she smiled softly thinking about him.

"Nice? Nice?! When are you going to learn?" Emma said her voice shocked.  
"He was a gentleman and Regina's more likely to kill me."Alex said shrugging.

"Oh how come?" Emma asked leaning forward.  
"We never got along for as long as I could remember." Alex replied, her voice  
exhausted.

"When are you gonna learn he's bad news?"  
Emma replied her eyes narrowed.  
"When he does something that makes me see that he is a bad person."Alex tried to justify.

Emma sighed,"You are impossible."  
"Thank you." Alex smiled.  
"Have you gone on another date?" Emma tried to push against the steel willed principal.  
"No, not yet."Alex said sounding slightly disappointed.  
"He may not be over his wife." Emma said steamrolling over the quiet woman.

Alex smile faltered,"Oh he didn't mention that to me."  
"I think she left him or something." Emma said off handily.

"Hmmm I wonder why?" Alex wondered out loud, wondering for a split second if she was the best friend he mentioned.

"Because he's crazy."  
Emma shot back.

"Emma! He might be heartbroken and that might make him appear crazy. You've never had your heart broken?"  
Emma looked down,"Yes I have but it didn't make me crazy."  
"Everyone reacts differently." Alex said softly.  
"Not that crazily." Emma said think about how she reacted when Neal abandoned her.  
"He could have known his wife longer than you knew your significant other and when they die or they leave you, you lose a part of yourself."  
"Whatever the case please be careful, Alex."Emma said standing up.  
"I am always careful," Alex looked at the clock above her door,"You should leave if you want to make it home in time for the storm."  
"Do you need a ride?" Emma asked before she exited the room.  
"No I have some things I need to finish but thank you for the offer." Alex looked down at the paperwork in front of her and glanced at the clock again seeing that it read 5:30,_'I'll be lucky to be out of here by ten.'  
_"Okay then see you later." Emma said glancing back as Alex said bye absent mindly.  
_**(Line break time skip thing for a couple of hours)  
**_Alex knew she shouldn't have stayed past ten but she wanted to get all of her paper work done before Monday rolled around and she didn't want to work on it at home. She was slightly ruffled by Emma asking her about Jefferson and Regina being Regina. She was driving when her car started smoking and died she climbed out of the car and slammed the door,_'This can't get any worse.'_ The storm then decided to fuck her over and start pouring rain. She pulled her jacket closer around her. She looked around and saw that she wasn't too far from Jefferson's house so she decided to walk there and knocked on the door.  
Jefferson opened the door with a shit eating grin, which faltered when he saw her but was replaced by a false bravado,"Hey Alex."  
"Hey I'm having some car trouble can I come in?" Alex pushed some wet hair out of her face.  
"Yes, come in. You're soaking, let me get you a change of clothes." Jefferson said his eyes slightly wide at the pretty girl in the wet dress on his door step.  
"You don't have to do that." Alex said.  
"No I know, but I can't let you get sick. Do you need to call your sister or someone because I could give you a ride home?" Jefferson scratched the back of his head awkwardly and pulled Alex in, shutting the door behind her,"Come on in, I get to help a pretty girl in a wet dress."  
Alex smiled at him slightly and followed him down the hall,"Thank you but Isabelle is working with Ruby at Granny's."  
Jefferson left and quickly came back with black slacks and a black shirt with a grey pattern.  
"Thanks." Alex accepted his clothes and shrugged off her jacket and hung it up next to Jefferson's,"Do you have a place for me to change?"  
"Yes, down the hall to the left. Would you like tea? To warm up?"Jefferson asked awkwardly, unsure how to deal with his wife. His beautiful wife who didn't remember who he was.

"Of course." Alex said as she walked into the bathroom and undid the rest of her french braid. Jefferson walked into the kitchen and started making Darjeeling tea. He was happy that Emma was not able to change her mind but it wasn't surprising with how stubborn she is.  
"Jefferson?" Alex called.  
"In here!" He shouted back as he was setting up the tea tray. Alex came into the kitchen and Jefferson was struck with a feeling of nostalgia he wanted to kiss Alex and tell her everything but he forced those feelings down and noticed she was holding her dress.  
"Do you have anywhere I could put this to dry?"  
Alex asked holding her soaking dress.  
"Oh yes, follow me." Jefferson took Alex's hand and pulled her to his garage and put her clothes in the dryer. They walked back into the kitchen,"What happened to your car?"  
"It just started smoking."Alex said putting her head into her hands.

Jefferson nodded and led her to the living room and went over to look out the window,"The storm is getting worse. I could give you a ride home or you could stay here… if you want."  
"You wouldn't mind if I stayed here?" Alex asked looking at Jefferson curiously.

"No I wouldn't mind, what was so bad about your day?" Jefferson said sitting next to her on the couch. "Where to start? Well first off I had to hold the same PTA meeting twice and Emma lecturing me about you and to top it all off my car broke down."  
"Why did you have to hold the same meeting twice? Was it Regina?" Jefferson asked curiously. His voice mildly concerned.  
"Yes." Jefferson started to laugh and Alex smacked him with a pillow,"It's not funny."  
"You're right it isn't." Jefferson shoulders were still shaking with laughter as he tried to stop,"Well my day was eventful but not like yours was I told Regina to shove it, I cleaned my house and I talked to Gold for a bit."  
"You told Regina to shove it?" Alex let out a laugh.  
"Yes I'm glad I could make you laugh." The sound bitterly reminded him of what was just out of arm's reach, but seeing Alex there grounded him and gave him a small sliver of hope that Emma would break the curse, he smiled sadly at the thought before putting on a mask of indifference hoping Alex didn't catch it.  
"What were you thinking about that could make you smile so sadly?" Alex asked looking at him concerned.  
"My life before I came to live here."Jefferson said his voice soft.

"Where did you live before here?"  
Alex asked leaning close to Jefferson.  
"Romania, home sweet home." Jefferson replied as he said the last part with hints of venom.

"Do you have any family? Emma mentioned something about your wife?" Alex spoke in a tone that said that he didn't have to answer it if he didn't want to.  
"Uh, no family at least not anymore. My wife, she was my… my best friend, but she died a few years ago." Jefferson hated lying to her but that was something he would never be able to explain without sounding crazy.  
"I'm sorry to hear that."  
Alex said putting her hand on top of Jefferson's.

"It's alright I've had time to adjust, but let's not dwell on such a sad subject."Jefferson said ignoring the way his heart twinge.  
"Have you noticed that things have been getting better since Emma showed up? Like they've been changing?" Alex wondered offhandedly.  
"Yeah, why?" Jefferson said meeting her eyes.

"I thought it was just me, and isn't it weird that things haven't changed till now? Maybe that's why we haven't met till recently." Alex said her voice reflecting the introspective Alice like quality which showed her being a little too curious for her own good.

Jefferson smiled,"Maybe we're cursed."  
"Like in Henry's book, I've always felt bad for the kid living with Regina. It must be awful living with Regina."Alex said her voice empathetic.

"I don't doubt it." Jefferson said playing with his scarf.  
"And everyone thinks he's crazy for believing in fairytales, but if I lived with Regina I would want to believe that things got better."  
"It does get better you just have to give it time."  
Jefferson said rubbing his knuckles on Alex's hand.  
"Exactly!" Alex exclaimed.  
Jefferson stared at her for a second,"You are so…... interesting."  
"Interesting good or interesting bad?" Alex said narrowing her eyes at Jefferson.

"Interesting good. You're an enigma for me." Jefferson continued cutting Alex off before she could speak,"I've told you more in a week then I've told people who I've known for years, and most of the people I know want something from me. You're the first one who doesn't."  
Alex smiled mischievously,"That may not be necessarily true."  
Jefferson playfully raised an eyebrow,"Oh then what do you want?"  
"I think you know what i want, let's face I'm not the white queen." Jefferson leaned over to her and pulled her on to his lap, so their bodies were touching forcing Alex to look up at him.  
"I doubt the White Queen is truly pure but yes you are no Snow White." Jefferson mused knowing for a fact how pure the White Queen was.

"Agreed on bo-" Alex wasn't able to finish her sentence as Jefferson leaned down and kissed her. Jefferson moved his arms around to Alex's back and pulled her as close as he could, while Alex tangled her hands in his hair. Jefferson opened his mouth allowing Alex's tongue to dance around his. Jefferson pulled away slightly and tugged on Alex's bottom lip. When they finally pulled away from each other, Jefferson rested his forehead against Alex's,"You know if Emma finds out she'll kill you than me then you again."  
"Darling have a little faith." Jefferson said glancing at Alex.  
"I do but I'm just warning you." Alex said tugging at his hair.  
"I know." Jefferson leaned forward and went to kiss Alex again his lips barely brushing hers when the doorbell rang causing both of them to jump,"I'll go answer the door."  
"Hello Jefferson, is Alex here?" Emma asked shivering slightly.  
"Yes, why?" Jefferson shook his head slightly and held the door open for her,"Come in."  
"Thank you." Emma followed Jefferson into the living room where Alex was standing running a hand through her damp tangled hair.  
"Alex you jinxed us." Jefferson said as he flopped onto the couch.  
"What do you mean?" Alex wasn't looking at the hallway and turned around when she heard Jefferson drop onto the couch. She turned around and saw Emma,"Hey, I guess I was wrong."  
"Alex what the hell are you doing here? I found your car abandoned."  
Emma said surprised at the blonde sitting on Jefferson's couch.  
"My car broke down."Alex said nonchalantly.

"So you went to the crazy guy's house instead of calling me?" Emma said her voice colored with disbelief.

Alex shrugged,"He was closer."  
"But you didn't think about calling me when you got here?"Emma asked.

"I offered." Jefferson said as he shrugged.  
"I am a grown woman, I don't need to be babysat."  
Alex said her voice angry.

"No you don't but you do have a weird affection for crazy people." Emma said earning a wounded noise from Jefferson.

"You act like this had happened before." Alex said her voice slightly angered. Jefferson stood up next to Alex.  
"Well you have an affliction for him."  
"I think you mean affection." Jefferson mumbled.  
"Quiet Jefferson. Alex quit being insane." Emma said shutting the snarky brunet down.

"I don't need to be watched over!" Alex shouted.

Jefferson put an arm around Alex pulling her close and whispering in her ear,"Calm down, she's only trying to help."  
"Why can't you just listen to reason?" Emma protested.  
"You can't tell me you've never dated someone who you dated without any logical reasonings?"  
Alex asked unconsciously placing herself between Jefferson and Emma  
"Please don't make that mistake."Emma said her voice vulnerable.

"I'm a big girl Emma, I can take care of myself." Alex's voice was just as soft.  
Emma pursed her lips and looked at Alex's messy hair and noticed she was wearing Jefferson's clothes,"Are you wearing his clothes? Please tell me you didn't sleep with him."  
"No, of course not. Emma my clothes were wet so he gave me some of his while mine are drying." Alex smiled mischievously at Jefferson,"Though I wouldn't mind."  
Lighting flashed making Emma jump, prompting Jefferson to speak up,"Emma I think it would be best if you stayed here the storm is getting worse."  
"Damn it!" Emma growled looking at Jefferson coldly.  
"Perks of living in a large house more than enough space for all of us." Jefferson replied dryly,"Would you like some tea?"  
"Hell no last time it was drugged." Emma said glaring at Jefferson.

"Really? Drugged tea? Can I borrow that? I need to use it on my sister." Alice said lightly.  
"No, you might use it on Regina." Jefferson responded not looking up from the painting that held his attention.

"We should be heading to bed it's getting late." Alex yawned before stretching slightly.  
"I'll show you to your rooms." Jefferson said politely.

"Thank god." Emma mumbled as Jefferson showed them to two of his guest rooms before walking to his bedroom. He took of his scarf and ran his fingers over the scar on his throat confirming that this was really happening. He took off the rest of his clothes changing into some loose pants before lying in bed and driffting off to sleep.  
His dream started out pleasant with memories of his life before Regina went out and took Alice away from him but it changed rapidly. He saw Alice in the same position he was in 30 years ago, he saw the Queen of Hearts guards force Alice down onto her knees as she screamed for him. Jefferson tried to run forward to get to Alice but he couldn't move forward and get to her so he could only watch in blood curdling terror as the Executioner complied with the Queen's order to cut off her head. Jefferson woke up with a choked scream, he was sweating and had his blankets wrapped up around his legs. He was hyperventilating and clawed at the scar on his neck taking a twisted comfort in the scar's ability to ground him. He slipped on old t-shirt before walking down and sitting in front of his grand piano before starting to play a melancholy ballad.  
"Jefferson? Are you alright?" Alex asked as she slowly walked down the stairs.  
Jefferson stopped playing,"Oh sorry did I wake you?"  
"No I was already up. Strange dreams. I heard you scream and was worried." Alex said trying to get rid of the dreams of an unfamiliar but familiar forest.  
"I'm fine. It's not the first time its happened."  
Alex looked at him closely and noticed the scar across his neck,"What happened to your neck?"  
Jefferson tensed slightly,"I don't remember."  
Alex took note of him tensing up but didn't comment as he looked away and resumed playing the ballad. Alex joined him on the bench wrapping an arm around him and rested her head against his shoulder and listened to him play. Jefferson thought how nice it would be to have Alice and Grace back again but he didn't want them to be driven mad like he was so he continued playing silently as the storm lightened up.  
Alex smiled sadly,"It looks like Emma will be able to drag me home today."  
"No, you don't have to go. Stay as long as you like, I'll drive you home."Jefferson said messing up his already bed ragged hair.  
"Thank you, but Emma will probably drag me home and lecture me. Izzy might hate me for not coming home last night." Alex said brushing some hair off his forehead.  
"She's not the boss of you and I doubt your sister would care." Jefferson said quietly.  
"Ehh. She'd probably be thrilled. She thinks I need a social life."Alex said remembering what her spunky and outgoing sister would say.

"From what I can tell, you do." Jefferson mused.  
"No I have you." Alex said putting an arm around Jefferson.  
"I can't be all you have, I'm boring." Jefferson said with a self deprecation tone.

Alex laughed and smiled,"You are not boring."  
"You are so wrong." Jefferson said chuckling.  
"We'll see about that." Alex said her voice determined.

Jefferson and Alex sat in silence with only the piano between them. The silence wasn't uncomfortable it was just the opposite, comforting them with unspoken words and promises. They heard someone walk down the stairs and jerked apart as Emma appeared.  
"So this is where you went." Emma said from the top of the stairs.  
"Yep." Alex said watching Jefferson play.  
Jefferson quickly glanced up from the piano and looked at the clock seeing that it said seven,"Are you two hungry?"  
"Yes" Emma said not even glancing at Jefferson.  
"I'll go make something." Jefferson made a simple breakfast of toast with butter that the three of them ate in an awkward silence. 


	9. A storm of epic preportions pt 2

Jefferson drove Alex to her car and let her out. He glanced at her for a second,"Try and start your car maybe we'll find out what's going on."  
"Okay." Alex slid into the car and popped the hood of her car and tried to start her car and failed miserably.  
"Well I'm no engineer but it looks like your battery's dead, and that's all I know, but do you want me to call the repair shop?" Jefferson asked shutting the hood softly.  
"Yes that would be nice." Alex climbed out of the care and smiled.  
"Do you want me to keep you company while you wait?" Jefferson said sitting back on  
his car.

"If You're not busy."Alex said shutting the door.

"Come here." Jefferson tapped on the spot right next to him and Alex sat right next to him, Jefferson wrapped an arm around Alex's waist pulling her close and resting his chin on top of her head watching as the repair company came and went."Do you want me to drive you home?"  
"If it isn't too much trouble." Alex said pulling on her rolled up sleeve.

"I'd be happy to." Jefferson pulled away from her and held open the door on the passenger side letting her slide in, he closed the door and slid into the driver's side. He drove to her apartment and walked her up to the door before she stopped and hesitated.  
"Last night was really nice." Alex said with a soft smile as she turned around,"We should do it again sometime."  
"Yeah we should."Jefferson wrapped his arms around Alex pressing her close to his body before leaning down and kissing her deeply Alex responded by kissing him back and lacing her hands into his hair.  
"Lexi are you coming in or- OH MY GOD. It's about damn time." Isabelle said as she opened the door and saw Jefferson and Alex kissing ,"I'm just gonna shut the door. Carry on."  
_Slam!  
_Alex pulled away from Jefferson suddenly,"Isabelle! Get back here. It was really nice seeing you again, call me sometime. Isabelle!"  
"Nice seeing you again, Alex." Jefferson said as she walked into her apartment and waved awkwardly as she slammed the door in his face. Jefferson walked down to his car, climbed into the driver's seat before dropping his head onto the steering wheel. He wasn't looking forward to the rest of his day as he had to go to Dr Hopper's office and after that he had to go talk to . Jefferson drove to the office and saw Dr. Hopper already waiting for him.  
_**(line break)**_  
Jefferson walked in and sat down not saying anything as Dr. Hopper readjusted the papers on his clipboard,"How are you today Jefferson?"  
"Fine."Jefferson said nestling into the seat.  
"What have you been doing?" Archie spoke regarding the man across from him.

"Stuff." Jefferson said coldly.

"What do you mean by that?"  
Archie asked trying to get past the fortress that was Jefferson's cold demeanor.  
"Nothing much." Jefferson said wanting to get the session over with.  
"Emma mentioned that you and Ms. Kingsleigh are friends." Archie stated remembering Emma's displeasure at that fact.  
"Of course she did." Jefferson growled.  
"So you're socializing now?" Archie asked making a note in his clipboard.

Jefferson sighed,"But me and Alexandra aren't friends, we're getting close, much to Emma's dismay."  
"Really?" Dr. Hopper asked taken aback.  
"Why are you shocked?" Jefferson asked cocking his head.

"That's not what I would have expected from you Jefferson. How do you feel about this?"  
"It's okay."  
"Do you like Ms. Kingsleigh?"  
"A little yeah, but she reminds me of my wife a little bit." Jefferson said sighning slightly.  
"Your wife?"  
"Yes, she's, uh, she's dead." Jefferson said his voice sad.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Archie replied, his voice sympathetic, as the man across from him shifted uncomfortably.

"It's alright." Jefferson said shortly.

"How long were you two married?" Archie asked as Jefferson couldn't be any older than thirty and it was uncommon for people in Jefferson's age range to be married for a long time.  
"Six years." Jefferson answered shortly realizing how weird it sounded because he was twenty eight now.  
"Really how old was she when you two met?" Archie asked his voice calm  
"I was a year older than her so she was sixteen." Jefferson said his eyes widening slightly at the fact of how young the both were.

"And how old were you when you got married?"Archie asked trying to get the younger man to open up.

"I was eighteen. We lived in England, making it legal without parental consent." Jefferson said remembering what he read on his trips to the library.

"England, really?" Archie asked making a note in his clipboard.

"Yes I moved there from Romania." Jefferson said noting the similarities with Romania and his home.

"So why don't you go back?" Archie asked knowing that most people would want to be close to family after their significant other dies.  
"Me and my family do not get along. I had to leave or I would have been thrown out." Jefferson said his tone dark.  
"And why is that?" Archie asked gently.  
"I lived in a tiny little mining town, so leaner guys weren't really welcome as we were seen as weak and useless. When I started to earn money for doing things outside of the mine my brothers couldn't have that so they broke my ribs and I left."  
Jefferson said his ribs twinging again causing him to take an uneasy breath.  
"What about your wife's family?" Archie asked curious about a family that would shut out their son in law after the loss of their child.  
"In my eyes she was a princess, her family was well off and famous in the area." Jefferson shifted uncomfortably as his hand rubbed his ribs.  
"Is something bothering you?" Archie asked noticing the distress cross Jefferson's features.  
"No just old injuries." Jefferson said shifting in his seat.  
"Oh?" Archie asked his voice curious.  
"My ribs, they didn't heal properly so occasionally they hurt." Jefferson said gruffly.

Archie made some notes on his clipboard before asking,"Did you have a good relationship with your parents?"  
"With my father no, my mother it was better, but not a great relationship." Jefferson said his ribs twinging.  
"What do you mean by that?" Archie asked

"She wasn't as bad as my father or brothers." Jefferson grunted with a scowl forming on his face.  
"What were their names?" Archie asked wanting more information about the private man across from him.  
"My brothers were Mihail and Aurel, my father was Mitica, and my mother's name was Luminitsa." Jefferson shifted uncomfortably as he remembered his mother's soft hand on his forehead when he was sick and his brothers shoving him around.  
"Does your relationship with your family have something to do with you being a thief?" Archie asked knowing that some people lashed out when they didn't have great family life.  
Jefferson's eyes narrowed at Archie before he opened his mouth to answer his question,"No. Me being a thief was how i made ends meet after I left."  
"Did you feel like you had something to prove to them?" Archie asked making another note.  
"No I went back with Alice, my wife, and told them where they could shove it." Jefferson shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.  
""Do you have contact with them? Try to patch things up?"Archie asked hoping to get at what was bothering Jefferson.

"Alice tried to get me to patch things up when I went back, but they made passes at her." Jefferson said, his voice tense.  
"You miss her alot don't you?" Archie asked, his voice empathetic.

Jefferson frowned slightly as he remembered Alice's smile and her oh so stubborn personality that made Jefferson want to scream, but Jefferson's frown turned into a sad smile as he softly said,"She's my best friend of course I miss her."  
"And what do you think of Ms. Kingsleigh when you think about your wife?"Archie asked flipping to a new page.

"I like her and I know Alice would want me to be happy, but I don't know."  
Archie glanced at his clock before sighing,"That's all the time we have for today Jefferson, I'll see you next week."  
"Alright Doctor see you later." Jefferson stood up and shook Archie's hand before leaving the office.

Jefferson felt heavy after his therapy session, like he betrayed Alice somehow by lying about her, his brothers not so much but few people knew about them, Rumplestiltskin, Baelfire, and Alice. To Regina he was an orphan, but it didn't matter. Jefferson drove to the pawn shop as Rumplestiltskin called him yesterday about needing information about something.  
"Ah Jefferson what a surprise." Rumplestiltskin hummed as Jefferson opened the door with a scowl on his face.  
"You needed something?" Jefferson said walking fully into shop.  
"Ah yes information about our dear sheriff, you see more then most." Rumple asked working through his filing.

"I know no more than you, besides that she has a mean swing. She hit me in the face with a telescope."Jefferson said rubbing his jaw in memory.

"Well then I'll have to keep telescopes out of her reach." Rumple let out a small laugh when he saw Jefferson scowl.  
Jefferson paced around the shop looking at various items pausing to look at Emma's mobile and held one of the blue unicorns in a feather light grip,"Rumple can I ask you something?"  
"Of course." Rumple said closing the briefcase.  
"Did you know Alice was alive?" Jefferson asked his voice soft and vulnerable.  
"No not at first." Rumple said remembering the distraught man nearly crumpling to the ground as he tried to speak about 30 years of pain.  
Jefferson let go of the unicorn he was holding and straightened up,"If you knew why didn't you tell me?"  
"What good would it do for you? or her? She doesn't remember anything." Rumple asked his voice gentle.  
"You don't think I know that?!" Jefferson snapped before breathing deeply,"It's all my fault, we need the money and Regina offered and she took it for me and for Grace and me. It's my fault."  
Rumpelstiltskin looked at Jefferson sadly,"But the question is why did Regina lie to you? To Alice I'd understand but she seemed to be different with you."  
"I could ask her, I mean she offered me a job. Should I take it?" Jefferson said his voice unsure.

Rumple raised an eyebrow,"Doing what exactly?"  
"I don't know, retrieving something? I don't have many useful skills here." Jefferson said his voice quiet and awkward.  
"Be on your guard." Rumple said remembering the distant teenager who cared more about his next adventure than being careful.

Jefferson made a gesture of_ 'Yes dad'_ before heading towards the door quietly mumbling,"Third time's the charm…"  
Jefferson trailed off as a scabbarded sword caught his attention, he recognized the black soft leather hilt and the dragon with rubies in its eyes before looking at the scabbard and seeing dragons in various forms carved into it.  
"Jefferson what's the problem?"  
Rumple asked looking Jefferson tapped the glass as Rumplestiltskin walked over to face him,"This sword, where did you get it?"  
"Why? Oh it's Alice's isn't it?" Jefferson nodded jerkily as Rumple pulled it out and held to out to Jefferson,"The most well known sword besides Excalibur, take it. It's gathering dust and it might help bring back her memories."  
Jefferson took the sword as he carried the sword out to his car, but before he left the store he turned around and spoke,"Până la data viitoare." _**(Till next time.)  
**_Jefferson put the sword into the back seat when he saw the light blue dress that Alex had left in his car.  
He checked his watch and saw that it was nearly lunch time so he drove to the school. He snuck up behind her and turned her around quite suddenly surprising her as he smiled and said,"Hey beautiful."  
"Hi Jefferson." Alex said tucking some of her hair behind her ear.  
Jefferson kissed her cheek lightly,"Are you ready for lunch?"  
"Just let me grab my jacket, where are we going?" Alex said as she walked towards her office to slide on her black trench coat over her dark blue suit.  
"How about Granny's?" Jefferson said leaning on the door to hold it open.  
"Lovely." Alex said curling into Jefferson as he put an arm around her waist as they walked to his car,"I am glad you picked me up when you did Regina is driving me insane."  
"Why?" Jefferson climbed into the car with Alex.  
"Henry's been going with Emma after school and Regina wants me to do something about it but there's nothing I can do. Emma would find away to be with Henry anyhow." Alex said pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'm sorry, maybe you could talk to Emma about it. I mean you two are friends." Jefferson held the door open as Alex walked into Granny's and continued talking.  
"Yes and she wasn't thrilled." Alex said pursing her ruby lips.

Jefferson sat down across from Alex,"Well then screw that Regina wants, she's the mayor not the queen."  
Isabelle walked over wearing her uniform which was quite similar to Ruby's, quickly taking their orders and quickly brought out the food before leaning into Alex's ear and whispered something into it causing Alex's to nod and Isabelle walked away with the balance that years of weapons practice and her cat like agility created.  
Jefferson opened his mouth and softly said,"You may hate me for this but try to be the bigger person.  
Alex set her jaw,"Easier said than done."  
"Oh trust me I know."Jefferson said nodding his head.

"How would you know aren't you the town recluse?" Alex's voice held a mix of curiosity and teasing.  
"I used to be friends with her." Jefferson answered with a hint of truth.  
"Friends with Regina? You are crazy." Alex said with a huge smile on her face.  
"Used to be being the key words." Jefferson replied raising an eyebrow at Alex.  
"What happened?"Alex asked slightly concerned.

"She became a psychopath."Jefferson said like it was obvious.

"She really didn't start out like that?" Alex said curiously.

Jefferson shook his head no,"She was timid, quiet and sweet."  
"Timid?!" Alex laughed,"That is funny."  
"I'm not joking."Jefferson said seriously thinking about a quiet girl who he would have barely glanced at.  
Alex sobered up,"Really? Wow."  
"Yeah she just changed suddenly." Jefferson said thinking of the personality jerk that Regina went through.  
"When she got Henry?" Alex asked propping up her head on her hand.  
"No before, she just changed suddenly." Jefferson knew how much of it was his fault and how much was everyone else's, but he was 15 he didn't know but and he was still thinking about where his next meal would come from.  
"Maybe she got her heart broken." Alex hummed breaking off Jefferson's train of thought.  
Jefferson shrugged,"Maybe but I do know she was sleeping with Graham."  
"That makes sense."Alex mused.  
"What do you mean?" Jefferson asked looking at Alex curiously.

Alex shrugged,"He seemed to do basically everything she asked."  
"Any man would do that for the women they were sleeping with," Alice nodded in understand as Jefferson suddenly looked up at her,"I have something to give you."  
"Really?" Alex said looking at Jefferson through a curtain of hair.  
"Your clothes." Jefferson said flatly.  
"Oh I almost forgot, I assume you want yours back?"Alex asked her cheeks turning pink at her forgetfulness.

"No keep 'em." Jefferson said with a dismissive wave of his hand.  
"Has Emma Yelled at you yet?"Alex asked cocking her head.  
"No, has she yelled at you?" Jefferson said putting his hand on top of Alex's out stretched one.  
"She has, mainly about being irresponsible, that your dangerous, the usual."Alex said slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry."Jefferson said smiling sympathetically.

"It's not your fault, Emma needs to realize I am an adult who makes my own choices."Alex said smiling back at him.  
Jefferson smiled as Alex finished her food and Isabelle brought the check and Jefferson paid before returning his attention to Alex,"How do you feel about swords?"  
"Swords? I've never owned one but they have a certain honor about them." Alex's eyes were lighting up with excitement as she talked.  
"Would you like one?" Jefferson said watching Alice surface for a split second.  
"You own a sword and you want to give it to me?" Alex's eyes widened in shock.  
"Yes." Jefferson looked at Alex with a complete look of adoration.  
"What?" Alex said rubbing her face like she had something on it.  
"Nothing. Come on." Jefferson stood up and led Alex to the backseat of his car, opening the door and pulling out the sword and putting her dress in the passenger seat. Alex took the sword out of Jefferson's hand and pulled it out of its scabbard in one fluid motion.  
"It's beautiful." Alex said looking at the sword glinting in the light.

Jefferson put his hands on Alex's shoulders and pressed the side of his face to Alex's and whispered,"I thought you might like it."  
Alex looked at the blade with the Mahogany Obsidian in the blade like a red and black ribbon and close to the hilt the motto,_'Fire and Blood'_, engraved the hilt was wrapped in black leather that fit her hand perfectly and the dragon head pommel with ruby eyes that seemed to blink in the light. Alex twisted her wrist slightly watching the light glare off of it as she plunged into memories that flt real but couldn't be. Her wearing white and kissing Jefferson, her fighting a dragon, and her holding an infant in her arms while Jefferson wrapped his arm around both of them and murmured,"Grace. Our Grace."  
Alex shook her head as she slipped the sword back into its scabbard and grimaced in pain.  
"Alex are you okay?" Jefferson asked voice full of concern.  
"Yeah, just a migraine." Alex said her voice tight.  
"Are you sure? I could drive you home if you feel sick."Jefferson said looking at him concerned.  
Alex looked at her phone," No. It's fine, I need to get back to school."  
Jefferson nodded once before driving back to Alex's school shooting her concerned glance whenever he could.  
_**(A group of pandas is called an embarrassment)  
**_Isabelle walked into her apartment, and slid off her heels at the door, and walked to her couch which had Alex stretched out on it with an icepack. She saw her sister and couldn't help chiming in,"Did loverboy get too rough?"  
Alex took off the ice pack and curled up on the couch allowing Isabella to sit down,"No, just a really bad headache."  
Isabelle sat down on the couch across from her,"What happened?"  
Alex sighed quietly,"I don't know, but they've been happening more often lately."  
Isabelle hummed,"It could be stress related, I mean Regina's been on your ass about Emma and Henry, And Emma against you and lover boy."  
"His name is Jefferson." Alex was surprised when her voice softened on his name.  
Isabelle waved her hand dismissively,"No matter, It also could be a coincidence."  
"Yeah, you're probably right, but do you wanna know something strange? Jefferson gave me a sword."  
Alex said gesturing in the vague direction of  
"It is strange, but he doesn't seem normal. Do you like him?" Isabelle asked running a hand through her hair.  
"Yes. I do." Alex smiled sitting up fully pushing Isabelle's hair back,"but the sword isn't weird? I mean have you dated anyone who gave you a sword?"  
"I guess it's sorta strange, but I haven't really dated people." Isabelle said pulling a black fluffy blanket from the chair next to her.  
"Fair enough, but what will we do about about Emma?" Alex asked looking at her sister.  
"Hmm?" Isabelle asked while bundling herself up in the black fluffy blanket.  
"What is she going to do about me and Jefferson?"  
"About you and Jefferson?" Isabelle asked pushing her bangs out of her face, looking at Alex with mischievous violet eyes,"Handcuff you to the radiator."  
"And the fact that he gave me a sword, I mean that isn't normal." Alex said her voice nervous.  
"We're British living in Maine, in a apartment, and you're dating a recluse. We aren't normal." Isabelle said like she was stating the obvious.  
"Fair enough but-" Alex started falling silent when her sister interrupted her.  
"What Emma doesn't know won't hurt her." Isabelle replied poking her sister.  
"She'll find out. She always does." Alex sighed her voice tinged with annoyance.  
"I could claim it as mine,"Isabelle poked Alex in the knee before continuing," I can feel your snarky comment coming on and it seems like something I would do. I'm the wild one remember." Isabelle said playing with a curling strand of hair.

"That isn't always true and to be honest if I tell the truth she may not believe it." Alex said shutting her eyes.  
"What that lover boy gave you a sword?"  
Alex gestured as she twisted and put the ice pack on the table next to her, "Exactly."  
"Seems like something he would do, he is crazy ….. about you, but Emma isn't too thrilled about you and him. She's just being protective of you, I wouldn't worry."Isabelle said smiling.  
Alex looked at her sister softly as she played with her hair,"When did you get so smart?"  
"I've always been smart you just never listen. Any idea what caused the headache?" Isabelle said her voice concerned.  
"No, it was just a sudden thing." Alex replied stretching slightly.  
Isabelle has mischief written in her eyes,"Maybe we're cursed like Henry said."  
"Isabelle," Alex said looking at Isabelle exasperated.  
"Alexandra." Isabelle said with faked exasperation,"Think about it, it would explain some things. Like how we've had no tourists here, we don't remember moving here, we don't remember meeting anyone besides Jefferson and Emma, and how no one's run against Regina."  
"Things get hazy Isabelle, and everyone is scared of Regina." Alex said propping herself up and looking at Isabelle with disbelief.  
Isabelle's violet eyes widened in realization as her head shot up meeting Alex's questioning brown eyes before practically climbing into her lap excitedly saying,"You should run for mayor!"  
"Me?" Alex said gently pushing Isabelle back to her spot.  
"Yes everyone loves you." Isabelle said practically vibrating with excitement.  
"But I'm not running for mayor." Alex said watching her sister frown slightly.  
"Why not?" Isabelle asked her voice full of disbelief and confusion.  
"Because I don't want to," Alex said watching her sister visible deflate,"I mean I like the thought but I wouldn't be the one to get it in motion."  
Isabelle perked up slightly,"I'm sure Mr. Gold would back you up he seems to like you."  
"Maybe." Alex mused.  
"Plus you have Emma, the teachers, and people around town." Isabelle said remembering how charming and diplomatic Alex could be.  
"Yes but still no." Alex said still sighing.  
"If I was Loverboy I could convince you." Isabelle said in a singsong voice.  
"No you couldn't."Alex said in disbelief.  
"Keep telling yourself that Al."  
Isabelle said her voice high pitched in mocking.

"Whatever. I'm going to put the icepack away and then we can watch a movie." Alex said standing up grabbing the ice pack on the way to the freezer.  
"Sure how does The Crow sound?" Isabelle said from looking in her cabinet.

"Sure put it in."Alex said pulling the black fluffy blanket over her shoulders waiting for Isabelle to comeback, when she did Alex opened her arms and wrapped them around Isabelle pulling her close and watched as the movie started. 


	10. An apple as red as blood

Jefferson walked into Regina's office holding the white rabbit card and stood in the middle of the office, he shut the door behind him, glaring at the mayor,"Regina."  
Regina looked up from her desk and walked over where she had the decanter full of whisky pouring glasses for both her and Jefferson, she held the glass out to Jefferson, "I see you got my message".  
Jefferson looked at the out stretched glass boredly, and dropped the card into it,"About?"  
"I need you to use one of your special skills for me." Regina dropped Jefferson's drink on the table and grabbed the light brown hat box putting it on the table in front of him.  
"My hat. What do you need?" Jefferson frowned putting his hand on top of the lid.  
"Something that solves a problem for both of us."  
Regina replied glancing at Jefferson.

"Emma." Jefferson said as a smile spread across his face,"She's not a problem for me, she starting to do what I want."  
Regina tensed, and put a hand on his chest,"But not as quickly as you'd like. Am I right my little orphan boy?"  
Jefferson scowled slightly, and brushed her hand off of him,"I'm not yours. My heart belongs to Alice, or Alexandra, as she is called here."  
"Alice? Sweet little naive Alice, who left you and let you think she was dead. You still love her? And know she's alive not knowing who you are? Your history together?" Regina inquired circling around Jefferson, dragging a hand across his shoulders.

"It doesn't matter." Jefferson said shortly, twisting out of Regina's grip,"If Emma does her job the curse will break and she'll remember me and Grace."  
"If you do this for me I can wake both of them up."  
Regina asked her voice manipulative.  
"No." Jefferson was about to explain when Regina cut him off.  
"No? You don't want your wife and daughter to remember who you are?" Regina asked shortly.  
"No. I want you to write us a new story. I want to forget." Jefferson said looking at Regina levelly his eyes slightly chaotic.

"Why?" Regina asked confused.

"Two lives at odds? Can make anyone crazy." Jefferson stated like the answer was obvious.

"Crazy really? Fine then you do this for me, and I'll write the three of you a new story." Regina lied smiling slightly at Jefferson.  
Jefferson was silent for a moment considering her offer, he sighed,"What do you need?"  
Regina lifted out Jefferson's hat and handed it to him,"I'll tell you when we get to my vault, you do need my magic right?"  
Jefferson pulled his hat underneath his arm and followed her growling something she couldn't make out.  
_**(A group of Flamingos is called a Flamboyance.)  
**_"What is this place? Your mom's vault?" Jefferson said shuddering slightly, following Regina in to her vault's basement.  
"No, mine. This is where I keep the rest of my magic." Regina said glancing around as Jefferson set his hat down.  
Jefferson watched for a second trying to detect any flicker of movement from the hat,"It's not working. It needs to absorb the magic do you have anything that still works?"  
"A few trinkets but it should be enough." Regina replied pulling out a box.  
"Don't bet on it, magic is different here." Jefferson said as Regina shot him a scathing look as she poured the box of items into Jefferson's hat. He put it down and started searching for movement and couldn't find any so he picked up his hat and turned it upside down,"It's not enough. It doesn't work, do you have something that does?"  
Regina pulled a ring out of her pocket and watched as Daniel's face appeared, Jefferson cocked his head,"That's him isn't it? The man you had Victor try to bring back? Your fiancé, Daniel, the stable boy, right?"  
"Yes, I almost forgot. You and Whale are buddies aren't you?" Regina replied dryly earning a dirty look from Jefferson.  
"Does it matter? Now give me the ring, I'll see what I can do with it." Jefferson held out his hat to her as Regina backed up slightly,"You want your revenge right? Give it to me I might be able to do something with it."  
"Fine." Regina said as she dropped the ring into Jefferson's hat watching him kneel and crouched next to him, listening to him speak.  
"What am I getting? It needs to be something I can pull through with my hand something small, and I need you to guide the hat to the time and place to where the object is."  
"An apple." Regina said smiling widely reminding Jefferson of when she was truly the evil queen and everyone was scared of her.  
Jefferson caught the apple as it flew out of the hat,"I presume this is it?"  
"Yes. Yes it is." Regina replied taking the apple from Jefferson and admiring it.

"And Grace and Alice?" Jefferson asked not allowing his voice to get hopeful  
"The deal isn't done yet, not until I solve the next conundrum how do I get the savior to taste my forbidden fruit?" Regina asked unaware of how every line of Jefferson's body was taut with rage and calm.  
_**(A group of Jellyfish is called a brood or smack.)  
**_"I'm sorry." Regina said looking at Henry's sleeping body.  
"It's a pity isn't it? There's nothing harder than not knowing whether or not you'll see the person you love again." Jefferson said stepping out of the shadows.  
"Jefferson now is not a good time." Regina said her voice full of tears.  
"For you." Jefferson replied in a voice that implied he had nothing left to lose, he glanced around the hospital room,"Well, for me it's the perfect time. I'm here to collect. Where- Where are they?"  
"Emma was supposed to eat the apple, not Henry so I'm considering the deal null and void." Regina snarled causing Jefferson's eyes to harden. "I did what you asked, and you're going to screw me over again?"  
"Look at however you want, Jefferson. The fact is, I'm done with you." Regina growled causing Jefferson to lean over Henry's body.  
"But I'm-I'm not done with you." Jefferson replied voice soft but full of emotion but also not disclosing about what he'd do to get what he wanted.  
"What are you going to do? Kill me? I know you want to but I also know you can't."Regina laughed her voice mocking.

"Do you?"Jefferson asked his voice innocent.

Regina scoffed,"Yes, you don't have it in you… Now excuse me, I have to save my son."  
_**(Regina you're poking a bear and if Jefferson doesn't kill you Alice might.)  
**_Jefferson walked down to the asylum in the basement carrying a cup of his drugged tea,"Your tea."  
"Thank you. What's the commotion upstairs?" The girl, Rose, Jefferson thought was her name asked as she took the tea.  
"There's a sick boy he took a bad turn," Jefferson sighed as the nurse took a sip of the tea and started speaking before she passed out,"Any hope for a recovery? Doubtful."  
Jefferson grabbed the keys and walked down the hallway with Sydney Glass and Belle signaling Gerhardt to be quiet he opened Belle's door startling her awake.  
"Come with me." Jefferson said as he pulled Belle up and looked at her gently.  
"Who are you?" Belle asked being steadied by Jefferson as he pulled a jacket over her small frame,"Why are you doing this?"  
"My name is Jefferson. And I need your help to do something I can't. There's a man. His name is Mr. Gold. Find him. All you have to do is tell him where you've been and that Regina looked you up." Jefferson meeting Belle's green eyes.  
"Wait a minute. What?"Belle asked looking away confused.

"It's very important. Mr. Gold's gonna protect you but you have to tell him Regina locked you. He's gonna know what to do. You understand?" Jefferson asked trying to meet Belle's eyes looking for her to understand.  
Belle nodded her head,"Y-Yes I have to find Mr. Gold." 


	11. Another flashback

Alice looked out of the window of the carriage when Hamish, her betrothed, started speaking, "Well my dear, Alice, our new home will be coming up soon."

"Oh wonderful." Alice smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, she wasn't thrilled with how she had to act like the demure princess she was expected to be and not the warrior princess she was raised to be.

"Is something wrong my dear?"

'_I can't be a queen if this is what my people expect of me.' _Alice thought before smiling reassuringly,"I just miss my brother and sister."

"I'm sorry to hear that but don't worry. I'm sure theyre quite happy."

"It's a shame they couldn't come with us." Alice asked, her tone wistful for the Red Keep, the swordmaster and the stable where she spent her free time.

"Yes but you will be so busy you won't miss them."

"I'm sure." Alice left a hand loose on her lap as she moved the curtains back again looking at the forest road.

Hamish reached out to touch her hand reassuringly but she pulled her hand back and pushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear and wondered about Jefferson,"Is something wrong?"

Alice was pulled out of her thoughts," No, are we almost there?"

"Yes." Hamish studied her features coldly.

"Is something bothering you?" Alice furrowed her brow questioningly, trying to get a gage on Hamish's thoughts.

"Of course not."

Alice looked out of the window again and saw a castle pulling up in the distance,"Is that it?"

Hamish followed her gaze,"Yes."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you, it's rather nice." Hamish said putting emphasis on the word nice like it was a rundown cottage.

"I expected nothing but the best for you."

Hamish didn't speak again but shot Alice a false thankful smile. The carriage rolled to a stop as a footman opened the door and helped Alice out of the carriage.

"Welcome to my home." Alice noticed that Hamish called it his home and not our but didn't think much of it as according to some of her mother's friends, their husbands called it their castle as in belonging to the Lord and no one else, "Make yourself at home."

"Where are the gardens?" Alice said looking at Hamish with her hand shadowing her eyes.

"In the back through the main hall. Would you like me to accompany you?"

"If you'd like." Alice replied hoping he would leave her to attend to the castle's business

"Alright then I will."

Alice followed to the gardens and studied the flowers as they started to walk through the gardens.

"It's a nice day. Isn't it?" Hamish asked seeing his fiance distracted.

Alice looked at a vibrant Starlette Lily, and spoke absentmindedly,"Yes it is."

"Are you hungry? It will be getting dark quite soon." Hamish said looking at the sun slowly go down.

"Now that you mention it I am."

"Well then off we shall go, my lady."

Alice took Hamish's arm as they walked back to the castle, when they got inside Hamish called for the butler. The butler was a tall, lean man who was dressed in the black clothes of a butler, he had wavy chestnut colored hair that fell in his face obscuring dark brown eyes and framed his square jaw, he had a fruity voice, deep and pleasant,"My lord?"

"Tell the cook to prepare for dinner."

The butler gave a respectful bow,"Yes, my lord."

"Oh and make sure the cook does not put too much salt."

The butler turned around and bowed again,"Yes my lord."

"Would you like anything, Alice?"

"Whatever the cook is serving is alright."

"Fine." Hamish set his jaw slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not."

Alice was silent but masked her pursed lips with a hand.

"Are you alright, dear?" Hamish asked noticing Alice's displeasure.

"Just nervous." They walked into the dining room.

"James!" Alice jumped when Hamish shouted the butler's names and James came walking in.

"My lord?" James asked his brow furrowed slightly.

"Sit Alice and then come back to me."

"My lady, this way." James sat Alice across from Hamish and walked back to him, Alice leaned forward with a look of boredom and couldn't hear their conversation.

"Did you take care of the poison?"

"Yes, my lord, but why do you want to kill her?" James asked his face showing conflicting feelings.

"Don't ask questions just do it."

Alice pretended to be interested in the centerpiece composed of snapdragons and yellow lilies _**(A/N: means deception and slavery.)**_ and out of the corner of her eye saw James shoot her a sympathetic look.

"I hope you love the dinner the cook prepared for us." Hamish said letting his voice projecting.

"I'm sure, I will." Alice said nodding feeling an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

One of the maids with a braid of dark red hair came in with the wine pouring Hamish's glass first then pouring Alice's, she leaned into Alice's ear, "Please be careful, Your Highness."

Alice looked up slightly confused, but did a miniscule nod,"Thank you."

"Alice is something wrong?"

"No just the nervousness that accompanies being in a new house."

"You'll get used to it."

"I hope I do." Alice smiled and drank the wine in front of her.

"This isn't a bad vintage."

"No it isn't."

Hamish looked around,"I wonder what's taking the cook so long."

"Maybe the cook wants me to be impressed, I mean what kind of staff wouldn't want to impress their lord's future wife." Alice said trying to lighten the tense mood while carefully surveying her surroundings.

"True, he is probably making sure that everything is perfect."

James came back carrying Hamish's food, while the redheaded maid carried Alice's food,"Finally."

Alice smiled at James and the maid who dropped off the food in front of her. James leaned over to Hamish and whispered,"My Lord, are you sure this will work?"

"Yes, absolutely." Hamish hissed causing James to recoil slightly.

Alice noticed them talking again, "What are you two talking about?"

"Just plans for your stay. Go ahead taste your food."

Alice took a bite of her food, and noticed a slightly off taste but took another bite carefully, thinking it was the difference in ingredients, she smiled as her head began to throb dully, "This is really good. I'll have to compliment the chef."

"Truly."

Alice sipped her wine before a wave of nausea and drowsiness come over her, Alice felt her anxiety spike as her unsteadiness made her feel vulnerable,"I'll have to excuse myself something's come over me."

The red-haired maid rushed to her side, offering her arm to steady the young princess,"Your Highness, let me show you to your room."

"Don't worry love, just rest." Hamish said gently

"Thank you." Alice said her words slurring mildly.

James watched as she left the room leaning on Adelais, the red haired maid,"Are you sure this will work?"

"Yes."

"May I ask why you want to kill her?" Hamish was silent, "My lord?"

"After she and her siblings are dead, I'm next in line."

"I think you aren't giving them enough credit and if you are successful, do you really want questions about your claim to the throne?"

"It won't be linked to me."

"Are you sure my lord?" James asked quietly.

"I am." Hamish growled causing James to step back.

James straightened up and left the dining room running into Adelais on his way out, "Adelais we must tell Her Highness in the morning, especially considering that he is planning to kill the princess's youn siblings too.

Adelais's eyes widened as she nodded.

"Tomorrow when she wakes up you need to bring her straight to me because when he finds out I betrayed him and sabotaged his plan, he will kill me. I'll send a letter to the King and Queen to start an investigation." James said adjusting his waistcoat.

"Alright James, just be careful." Adelais said grabbing James arm concerned.

"I always am. Now I have to some duties and you should prep Her Highness's dress for tomorrow."

_**(Time skip)**_

Alice woke up with a pounding headache and someone knocking on the door and heard a low voice. Alice shot out of the bed trying to figure out where she was, trying to calm her racing heart,"My lady may I come in?"

Alice cleared throat and sounded steady,"Yes you can."

Adelais walked into the room and pulled out a light blue dress,"Your Highness you must change and then come with me. You're in danger."

Alice slid into it her normally nimble fingers slipping on the knot for her corset as Adelais helped her. After she finished getting dressed she slipped on her cloak and followed Adelais down to a room where James was waiting,"My lady."

Alice pushed hair out of her face,"James, what is going on?"

James hesitated before his cognac eyes flashed with determination,"Lord Hamish wants you and your siblings dead."

Alice sighed, her heart slowing down as she began to sort through her "Of course he does."

"You know?" James asked his voice hopeful

"I had a feeling, and if he's trying to kill me and if you two know about it you need to leave." Alice replied keeping her voice commanding.

"Your Highness, I must disagree." James started kindly not wanting to overstep his boundaries with the princess.

"We leave together, or not at all." Alice said squaring her jaw and lifting her head to look James in the eye.

"So do we run or do we wait?" Adelais asked wanting to establish a plan.

"We run, we take the horses from the stable and ride to your family's castle."

"Let's go then." They ran to the stables James helped Adelais on to a chestnut mare before going to a sooty buckskin stallion as Alice climbed onto a black stallion and rode off to the Keep, trying to avoid being spotted.

"I was supposed to kill you, Your Highness, and I am willing to pay the price for my treachery." James said breaking the near silence.

"The only treachery that was committed was committed by Hamish. Do you bring along the poison as evidence?" Alice said barely slowing down her horse.

"Yes I did." James replied brushing hair out of his face.

Alice nodded and rode the rest of the way in silence reaching the castle in about two hours seeing Alice's parents getting into a carriage, "Mother, Father."

Alice's father, King Zhowakko, was a large broad man who brought to mind the Dothraki warriors that he was descended from. Zhowakko looked up when he heard his daughter's voice and narrowed his dark violet eyes that were only a few shades lighter than his youngest daughter's as he stepped off the carriage step and looked his daughter over for any injuries,"Alice we got the message are you alright?"

Alice waved her hand dismissively,"I'm alright."

Etelvina climbed out of the carriage curling blonde hair framing her concerned expression, "Who are your friends?"

"Hamish's butler, James, and his maid, Adelais, they helped me escape." Alice replied her expression mirroring the stern look her father had.

Etelvina smiled at James and Adelais,"Thank you."

James looked down at his shows,"Your Majesty, I should not be thanked I…. was forced to have a hand in poisoning your daughter."

Alice looked at James, her eyes like ice,"You stopped it from going farther."

"Yes but-" James started looking guilty.

"James brought evidence of the poison Mother."

James took a half empty vial from his pocket and held it out to the queen,"I'll bring this to the Maester. Please tell the king your story."

Etelvina turned away with a swish of her skirt as Zhowakko crossed his arms and furrowed his brow speaking in a low gruff voice,"Tell me what happened."

"I was ordered to poison Princess Alice but I couldn't do it so only gave her enough to make her drowsy. I saved the rest then snuck her out of the castle."

Zhowakko nodded slightly,"Thank you for helping my daughter, now i must go deploy the royal guard. Alice can you show them where Dinah is? She is in your sister's room."

Alice nodded,"Yes father, I will."

_**(Timeskip to later that night)**_

Alice snuck down the stairs into the garden, when she got there she saw that Jefferson was waiting for her hidden to most underneath the heavy branches of the cherry tree. Jefferson flipped up the brim of his hat and smiled,"I missed you."

Alice smiled and rolled her eyes,"I'm sure you say that to every pretty girl."

Jefferson shook his head,"No I honestly missed you while you were off with your fiance."

Alice raised an eyebrow, as she sat on one of the benches,"Ex-fiance."

Jefferson crossed his legs and nestled into the tree,"What happened? It's been little less than a week."

Alice pursed her lips," He tried to poison me."

Jefferson's head shot up, alarmed at her laissez-faire manner,"Are you okay?"

Alice shrugged as Jefferson stood up and paced slightly,"I could get rid of him you know."

Alice's eyes widened,"No! Let my parents deal with it."

Jefferson scowled at Alice,"Fine."

"Thank you."

Jefferson shot Alice a sideways glance, not wanting her to be sent away," What is going to happen to you?"

"I don't know." Alice shrugged.

"You could always become an adventurer like me, but we would need to ask your parents." Jefferson said rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, not wanting to get charged with kidnapping.

Alice looked up thrilled,"Really?"

Jefferson laughed, "Yeah I mean I'm looking for an assistant."

"Oh." Alice looked crestfallen, fearing that she'd be redirected to a demure princess who was to be seen and not heard.

"What's wrong?" Jefferson asked seeing her mood suddenly change.

"I don't think my parents would let me go." Alice said knowing that she was probably right.

Jefferson shot an award winning grin,"I can be quite charming. You'd be traveling the realms, practicing diplomacy. Plus I'll protect you from any unwanted advances."

Alice rolled her eyes, knowing that Jefferson knew that she was capable of handling herself,"Mhm."

Jefferson pouted,"I'm offended."

Alice raised an eyebrow,"Oh really?"

"Yes really you make my heart bleed."

Alice looked at Jefferson innocently,"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't look at me like that."

Alice stood up and raised her eyes to Jefferson who was stretching his muscles,"Why not?"

"Because I'll have to toss you in the fountain."

Alice squared her shoulders,"You wouldn't do that."

Jefferson picked Alice up bridal style and started to carry her to the fountain. Alice was able to feel his tense muscles and realized he was more active than his lean and layered figure let on.

"Jefferson put me down." Alice hissed smacking him in the chest lightly.

"Promise to stop looking at me like that?"

"Fine just put me down!" Jefferson steadied her as he put her down. Alice looked at him gaze full of frustration,"Don't pick me up."

Jefferson smiled teasingly,"Now you're just testing fate."

Alice glared causing Jefferson's grin to grow,"What?"

"You're so …. interesting. Quite curious too."

"Well thank you." Alice said her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It's a compliment. It means people can't figure out. You're an ingema."

Jefferson pulled Alice close pressing her into his chest. Alice nestled close into his chest tucking her head underneath his chin. Jefferson tightened his grip on her and calmly stroked her back. Jefferson sat himself down on the edge of the fountain pulling Alice into his lap. Alice curled her face into his neck and wrapped a hand around the lapel of his jacket. Jefferson made a mental note that this felt comfortable, safe, like nothing was real besides this. Alice suddenly pushed herself away when she noticed the moon begin to sink down

Jefferson's eyes widened as he let her go,"What's wrong?"

"I have to go. I'm sorry."

"Then we'll ask your parents this afternoon."

Jefferson gave her an air blown kiss, before sneaking back out of the garden. Alice ran back to the castle and ate breakfast before going about her day, studying her history and diplomacy, practicing how to be a lady and sword play with her siblings..

Around lunchtime she snuck to the south gate waiting for Jefferson as he snuck up behind her.

"Hello Jefferson." Alice said glancing at Jefferson's shadow.

Jefferson turned Alice around,"What gave me away?"

"Your hat. Are you ready to meet the king and queen?"

Jefferson shot her a confident look,"Always."

Jefferson and Alice walked into the castle with Jefferson a few steps behind Alice, Jefferson and Alice both bowed when they walked in front of the king and queen.

Emil looked down from the iron throne,"Alice, who is this?"

Alice squared her shoulders,"My friend Jefferson."

Emil raised a dark eyebrow,"Friend?"

Alice nodded slowly,"Yes we met at my engagement party."

Emil regarded Jefferson with a distasteful expression," Why is he here?"

"We have a question to ask you."

"Oh? And that is?"

Jefferson squared his jaw,"I am a portal jumper, and I wanted to take Alice on as my assistant."

Zhowakko's eyes blazed,"An assistant?!"

Jefferson's eyes widened as Alice covered for him,"He would be helping me explore the realms, and he would help me be practicing diplomacy and help me learn about other cultures. I told him to call me that please don't be mad at him."

Zhowakko sighed,"I can't believe you think we'd be okay with this. Your fiancé just tried to kill you security must be tight and you can't be gallivanting about."

Alice's cheeks flushed in shame, and Jefferson opened his mouth hesitantly,"Your Majesty, if I may, I would rather have the Dark one rip out my heart and crush it then have something happen to your daughter."

"That may be so but I still won't allow it"

Alice set her face in a blank mask,"Thank you for considering it, Father."

Zhowakko looked up as Alice started to leave pulling Jefferson out,"Alice, wait."

Alice let go of Jefferson,"Yes, Father?"

Zhowakko's voice was loud and thunderous,"We will talk about this later."

Alice smiled,"Thank you, Father."

"No about your….. friend."

Alice's smile faltered,"This is still good news."

Alice continued walking and pulled on Jefferson's sleeve,"Come on, I want to show you something."

_**(Line Break)**_

"Mother, Father, you called for me?" Alice said curtsying respectfully.

"Yes we did." Zhowakko said dismissing two knights who were dressed in dark chainmail and leather,"How did you meet this Jefferson person?"

"We met at my engagement party. He bumped into me when I was getting some wine to drink."

"And his family? Is he married?" Zhowakko asked quizzing his daughter.

"He isn't and he wouldn't talk about his family." Her voice was quiet and she tried not to meet her father's eyes,

Zhowakko's eyes held frustration and anger but not from Alice,"That is terribly irresponsible Alice. He could have been an assassin. You could have been seriously hurt."

"He isn't. He's not dangerous." Alice replied lifting her chin.

"How do you know that? How long have you been meeting with him?"

"Not that long and he doesn't have it in him to hurt me." Alice said her voice quiet but still able to project.

"And you want to go with him? Without protection?" Zhowakko asked his voice darkening with anger.

"I can handle myself Father, I'll take one of the swords from the armory." Alice said her voice slightly pleading.

"No I won't allow it. You are the next in line for the throne, we can't have you going somewhere with a strange man, doing who knows what, Gods know where." Zhowakko growled receiving a reprimanding glare from Etelvina.

Alice bowed respectfully and spoke before leaving, her voice slightly wavering after being admonished,"Alright, Father, thank you for considering it."


	12. Chapter 12

_**I will be in Ireland for my spring breaks so I don't think I will be able to update as I am spliting a laptop. I do not own ouat.**_

Alexandra walked down the hallway into a familiar classroom and watched the substitute teacher teach instead of Mary Margaret as she took a couple of days of leave to look after Emma and Henry.

The substitute looked up her dirty blonde hair pulled into a bun,"Hi I'm Ms. Avery, and you are?"

"Ms. Kingsleigh." Alexandra stuck out her hand as Ms. Avery shook it.

"Oh it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Did you need something?"

"No just checking in on you."

Ms. Avery clapped her hands together,"Then feel free to watch."

"Thank you."Alex walked into the room and looked for a place to sit while Ms. Avery continued talking.

"Alright everyone take out your _Alice in Wonderland_ books."

Alex sat down next to Paige and tapped her on the shoulder,"May I read with you?"

"Sure." Paige nodded her head as blonde hair fell into her face. Alex noticed an urge to tuck Paige's hair behind her ears that she ignored as she read over Paige's shoulder and Paige settled into her side unconsciously.

"Did everyone read the seventh chapter?" Ms. Avery asked as Paige's hand shot into the air,"Yes?"

"Alice meets the Mad Hatter and the March Hare at the tea party. She sits down uninvited making the Mad Hatter insult her hair. They go on to argue about Mad Hatter also explain that time is a him not an it, and that they live in constant tea time. The Mad Hatter and March Hare woke the Dormouse wanting to hear a story, Alice asked so many questions that the dormouse become insulted and Alice finally leaves when the Mad Hatter insults her. Alice at the end of the chapter ends back up in the great hall shrinking so she can go to the passageway through the garden."

Alex watched Paige as she stated the story like the back of her hand,"And how did this make you feel?"

Paige was about to answer when a pulse ripped through the room causing all the children to scream and then run to find their parents, Ms. Avery ran out of the room as Alice pulled Grace into her lap and wrapped her arms around her daughter protectively whispering,"Oh my darling, you're still safe. Thank the gods."

Grace looked at her mother with tears in her eyes,"Mama? But Papa said you were dead. What happened?"

"Regina." Alice stood up and looked down at Grace,"We need to go home and grab something of mine that is very important."

Grace nodded and slipped her hand into her mother's,"Then let's go."

"I just hope your papa isn't impulsive today." Alice said glancing down at Grace as they neared the apartment building.

"Papa isn't impulsive." Grace said squeezing her mother's hand.

"Not that you see. Not anymore." Alice said her voice filled with mild happiness before she looked at her daughter,"We changed him for the better, honey."

Grace looked at her mom and vaguely remembered the house she used to live in with the high walls and the chair made of swords, She remembered moving into her little house and loving it as she could run around without many people trailing her.

"Come on." Alice locked the door behind Grace as she walked to her room and pulled her sword out of the trunk. She ran her fingers over the black leather grip that molded to her grip over time. She pulled the sword out of the scabbard with a satisfying hiss of the metal against the well oiled leather,_'Valyrian Steel, 28 years and it still holds it edge.' _She put the sword back and secured it on her hip before rushing out of her bedroom followed by Grace as the tried to make their way to Granny's when a magenta cloud came tumbling down from the forest descending over the town.

"Mama what's that?" Grace whimpered wrapping her arms around her mother.

Alice pulled Grace close and pressed her against her stomach,"I don't know sweetheart."

When the haze cleared up Alice rested a hand on the pommel of her sword and grabbed Grace's arm as she walked toward Granny's. They were about to cross the street when Alice stopped as a mob led by Dr. Whale went by calling for Regina's blood. She tugged Grace along behind the mob as she turned her head," Stay close to me."

"Where are we going?"

Alice hesitated, Regina's. That is an angry mom and as much as I hate her she is still Henry's mother."

"Are you really going to save her?" Grace asked her voice full of fear and disbelief.

"If I must but I don't think she will be getting away unharmed."

Grace's eyes widened as she tugged on her mother's sleeve,"That's a lot of people."

Alice pursed her lips and started to shove forward,"Stay close. Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me, Coming through."

Alice came to Regina's porch just fast enough to see Dr. Whale and Prince Charming yell at each other. Alice clamped an arm down onDr. Whale shoving herself between him and Charming,"What in the bloody hell are you doing?"

Charming glared at her,"Making sure someone doesn't get killed."

Alice looked shocked,"Oh Regina?"

Snow intervened,"Yes, you can't go around killing people like she did and she is Henry's mom."

Alice looked like she just got slapped,"You don't go around killing people like she did? SHe didn't just kill people she tore apart families."

Emma spoke up quietly grabbing Alice's attention,"Alex, I understand. I didn't know my parents for 28 years, I know how angry you are, but please for Henry's sake."

Alice growled,"You don't know anything."

"Alex this isn't the way."

"Then arrest her. Keep her locked up is best thing, we can't just kidnap her."

"It isn't kidnapping, it is the only way to keep her safe from the mob."

"I don't think that isn't I would prefer if you didn't use it as your excuse to lock me again."

Alice pursed her lips the a,"Regina?"

"I can handle myself.s,"Without your magic?"

Emma cut in,"How do you know her magic is gone?"

Alice shrugged,"She would have started a fight with me already."

Regina crossed her arms,"Fine, I don't have my magic yet."

Alice gestured to her"As I stated earlier, keep her locked up, or she will get hurt."

"Regina are you okay with this?" Regina scowled,"Fine."

Emma smiled,"Thank you, Alex could you clear a path for us?"

Alice shook her head,"No, I helped enough, I need to find Jefferson."

"Fine, He's probably at his house." Emma said putting an arm on Regina.

Alice shot Emma a dry look,"Really, thanks for your help Emma. Grace, I'm gonna take you to Granny's and I want you stay with Isabelle okay?"

Grace looked up At Alice,"Will you bring Papa back?"

Alice's lips quirked up in a smile,"Of course. Good bye Regina, I'll see you three later."

_**(My leg is asleep and yes the time is a bit squeed but oh well)**_

Alice drove up to Jefferson's house and stepped out of the car. She knocked on the door and saw Jefferson open it his eyes full of concern,"Alex is everything okay?"

Alice bit her lip,"Jefferson, it's me Alice."

Jefferson's expression softened,"Alice, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you and tell you that the curse broke."

"I know but why did you come here,"Jefferson's voice held panic and pain.

"I wanted to see you." Alice said her voice soft and on the vulnerable side.

"I'm not safe for you or Grace." Jefferson said setting his jaw.

"Jefferson-"

"No." Jefferson's blue eyes hardened into ice.

"Please we just got back to our real selves."

"No Alice, I'm not safe."

Alice crossed her arms,"Neither am I!"

"Not in the way you're not safe, I can't keep you two safe. I will hurt you. I don't want to be my father."

Alice looked shocked,"It is impossible for you to be him, Jefferson. He is a terrible awful man and you can't be him."

Jefferson smiled at the way Alice tried to alleviate his worries even though she wasn't able to,"Alice… I've spent two years in Wonderland, and I've spent 28 years knowing what is going on. I'm not the same anymore."

"Neither am I."

Jefferson sighed heavily,"You know exactly what I mean, I just need time."

Alice nodded accepting Jefferson's decision,"Okay then, you'll know where to find me."

Jefferson smiled softly,"I heard what you did for Regina. Being the bigger person. Grace was there wasn't she?"

Alice hated how well Jefferson knew her,"She was."

Jefferson opened his mouth and closed it like he wasn't sure what to say before speaking again,"Îmi pare rău că nu te pot proteja de Regina toți acei ani în urmă." _**(I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from Regina all those years ago)**_

Alice shrugged,"It's okay, I protected you and Grace.

"I can handle myself."

"What about Grace?"

"We protect her."

"Exactly, we can do that better if we are together."

"Listen to Emma just this one, Alice."

Alice crossed her arms,"No."

"Can you just pull your head out of your ass, and stop being so stubborn? Just listen to me."

"I am, you're just talking nonsense."

"No I'm not, just go home." Jefferson rested his head on the door as Alice stood there stubborn and unmoving, her love acting as a constant comforting weight that Jefferson wanted to move towards but couldn't,"If you don't leave I will drag you back to your apartment kicking and screaming. Would you like that?"

"No."

"Then leave."

Alice crossed her arms and squared her shoulders reminding Jefferson of how she was when she was 16, a princess who demanded that her father let them get married,"No."

Jefferson sighed and cast his eyes to the ground, his voice breaking,"I'm not ready….. I left Grace, and it's my fault you left too."

"Jefferson," Alice leaned forward to touch Jefferson's arm.

Jefferson fliched back and yelled,"I can't! Alright! I…. just….. I can't."

Jefferson looked at Alice's sad brown eyes quickly slamming the door in her face. Alice pounded on the door,"I'll be back Jefferson, I'm not giving up on you yet!"

Jefferson sat down on his white couch picking up his glass tumbler of whisky,"I'm counting on it."

Alice walked down the porch as her phone started to ring she answered it,"Hello?"

"Alex, you need to help us." Emma said her voice extremely frantic.

Alice hesitated,"What's going on?"

Emma let out a noise of impatience,"Gold sent a wraith after Regina and we need your help to kill it."

Alice sighed,"You can't kill what isn't alive Emma."

She walked back to her car and slammed the door driving back to her apartment as Emma continued talking,"Look I know you don't like Regina but what about Henry?"

Alice continued drive her car as Emma continued talking letting one of her hands fall to the dragon headed pommel as she sighed,"What do you need me to do?"

"Help us capture it and send it through Jefferson's hat."

Alice rolled her eyes, If you want to send it through Jefferson's hat, call him, but he's being temperamental, so I don't know how much help he'll be."

"Could you talk to him, then?"

Alice hesitated not wanting to reveal what Jefferson said to her,"He slammed the door in my face."

"Why?" Emma asked her voice laced with concern as she knew how hard Jefferson fought to cling to Alex who didn't remember him and it didn't make sense for him to send her away.

"He needs space so I'm giving it to him." Alice took a deep breath as she felt tears come on. She blinked them away and wiped her eyes before speaking again,"I assume we meet at the Sheriff's Station?"

"Thanks Alex."

Alice hung up her phone and let her grip tighten on the pommel of her sword feeling the horns of the dragon head dig into her hand as she walked into the Sheriff station feeling a sense of dread settle in her stomach.

"Thanks again Alex, for helping." Emma smiled shaking Alice's hand.

Alice glared at Regina,"Look I'm only doing this as a favor."

"We need you to help us luire the wraith to Jefferson's hat." Emma said as David crossed his arms and looked at Alice disapprovingly.

"We need gasoline or alcohol to start a fire. We can use it as a stalling tactic." Alice explained as Regina stared at her as if she ate something sour,"Might as well free Regina, and don't look so sour sweet it makes you look old."

Regina glared at Alice as Emma opened the cell door,"Emma do we really need her help?"

Emma looked between the two of them," Yes we do."

Regina looked at Alice angrily,"You haven't changed much have you?"

Alice shrugged,"Why fix what isn't broken? And at least my kid is actually mine."

Regina's eyes were ice cold,"But are you sure she's Jefferson's?"

Alice raised an eyebrow,"Why, unlike some people I'm actually faithful. I don't screw the 17 year old portal jumper while I'm married to someone else."

Regina pursed her lips,"What about your husband? Does he have any other children? And before you say yes you might want to ask him."

"WHy upset I got the one thing you wanted? And he doesn't."

"So? Henry might not be mine but I was there for his entire childhood which I can is better than I can see for either of you."  
Emma looked shocked as Alice continued talking,"Why? Even though we didn't have money Grace was happy and you know nothing about me or Emma."

Regina grinned,"You were royalty."

Alice didn't answer but crossed her arm,"I want to get this over with so I can finish cleaning up your mess like always."

"Fine then let's get going." Regina said rolling her eyes.

"We get the hat and the wraith will follow Regina at night as it fears the light. We'll set up in city hall and send it through the hat."

Emma spoke up stepping between them,"Sounds good."

"David, Mary Margaret and I will get brooms and the alcohol. You and Regina will set up in city hall."

Regina nodded at the sound plan but asked a question that was gnawing at her,"And when do we go after Gold?"

Alice looked up from the list she was compiling with Mary Margaret,"We don't. It's not my fault you pissed him off, and I don't want to incur the wrath of the imp."

"You were never very much help." Regina snarled.

"To you." Alice snarked back,"Others find me quite helpful."

"I bet they do."

Alice shoot Regina a dry look,"Your son's favors only go so far."

Regina turned to Emma,"So that's how you got her here, I was wondering how someone as stubborn as her would even consider doing anything for me."

"Regina," Emma warned trying to diffuse the tension in the room.

"Let's go." Alice growled walking out of the Sheriff's station followed by David and Mary Margaret.

_**(When the wraith is in city hall)**_

Emma came rushing into city hall followed by Mary Margaret and David wielding flaming broomsticks. Alice pulled out her sword and swiped as the wraith came toward her and Regina, her years of practice made it look like a well choreographed dance and her sword flashing in the flames from the fence surrounding the court in city hall as Regina struggled with the hat.

"Alice, it's not working." Regina said looking at Alice panicked.

Alice ran over grabbing Regina's arm the same time Emma did as the hat started to spin Regina was pulled away from the hat as the cyclone that surrounded the hat began to pick up.

"David, Mary Margaret, lure it over her."

The wraith lunged at Regina, Alice and Emma. Alice ducked as Regina was pushed out of the way but felt a hand grab her ankle as she heard Emma scream as she was pulled down. Alice looked down at her ankle seeing a blue hand have hold of her ankle as she shrieked in pain and was pulled into the hat after Alice tried to get away realizing it was futile as she saw the magenta from the interior of Jefferson's hat fill her vision, seeing Mary Margaret follow her jumping in after her and Emma.

The hat shrank back to its original size as David landed on it tearing it up and ruining their chances of getting back. David held Jefferson's torn up in his hand and slowly stood up.

"Where are they?" David yelled.

Regina looked up and calmly spoke,"I have no idea."

David ran up to Regina backing her up against the wall,"Are they dead?"

Regina didn't back up fully standing her ground,"The curse- it destroyed all the land."

"Are they dead?" David shouted getting into Regina's face.

"I don't know."

"I should have killed you myself." David growled going to push Regina against the wall.

"Well then what's stopping you?" Regina asked through her hands out and David against the wall, using the branches from the wall paper to secure him against the wall,"You think you're some heroic prince. Please. You're nothing but the son of a shepherd. I should have killed you when I could."

The tree branches tightened around David's throat as Regina reached out,"And now….. Now I can."

Henry ran into the room looking for Regina,"Mom?!"

Regina's voice softened,"Henry, what are you doing here?"

Henry backed up into Ruby's arms,"What are you doing?"

Regina approached Henry,"It's okay. You're safe now."

Henry looked at David before looking back at Regina,"Where's my mom? Where's-"

Regina's voice was sad," They're gone. They fell through a portal. They're…. Henry, I'm sorry."

"No you're not." Henry's voice broke,"You really are the evil queen. I don't want to see you again."

Regina looked upset,"No, don't say that. I love you."

"THen prove it. Get them back, and until then, Leave me- Leave everyone alone."

Regina's voice held concern,"Where will you go?"

David stood up with Ruby's help,"With me."

Regina looked on as David took Henry out of city hall.

_**(At Emma's and Mary Margaret's apartment.)**_

David lead Henry into the apartment,"Henry don't worry. Mary Margaret, Emma, and ALex are still alive."

Henry looked up,"How do you know?"

"I have faith."

"But-"

"Henry come here," Henry turned around facing David as David knelt down so they were I level,"I will find them, trust me."

_**(Enchanted forest)**_

There was a rumbling as Mulan shifted through the ruins finding Emma, Mary Margaret, and Alice unconscious. Aurora looked at them worried," who are they?"

Mulan met Aurora's eyes,"They're the reason our prince is dead."

_**Has anyone caught who Alice's family is? Comment if you did please. Please rate and review I don't know how I can improve the story without feedback.**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Jet lag is so fun. I do not own ouat. **_

Isabelle looked up from where she was helping Dr. Whale catalogue injuries,"Have you seen Jefferson lately?"

Dr. Whale looked up from treating a cut on a kid's head,"Not since the wraith."

Isabelle continued taking inventory on the amount of gauze and antiseptic they had,"He'll show up right?"

"Of course, he'd do anything for Grace and Alice. Where is she? I haven't seen her since she diffused the mob around Regina. Isn't this her thing?" Dr. Whale asked gesturing to the chaos around them.

Isabelle looked down at the notepad in her hand"She, uh, she was helping Mary Margaret and Emma, and she got sucked into the hat with them."

Dr. Whale and Isabelle's head shoot up and met each other's eyes as they both said,"We have to tell him."

_**(I am tired of writing, I mean I wanna write but no inspiration, even with prompts, and nothing is coming out right. )**_

Charming pulled out Mr. Gold's potion and poured it over the hat before tossing it on the truck and spun out of David's grip, making David follow it. David chased it through the streets before it landed because he needed to answer his phone. The hat was picked up off the truck bed by wind on a blue car that was flipped over and covered in debris.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Jefferson pounded on the door to get David's attention as David tossed over the debris allowing him to him the car door.

"Oh, thank you. No one heard me." Jefferson sounded exhausted as he dropped to his back and went to climb out of the car only to be stopped by David looming over him.

"You okay?" Jefferson nodded before being pulled out of the car,"Good that means we can talk."

_**(There is no greater sin except stupidity. -Oscar Wilde or according to one of the nicknames of his statue in Dublin, the Quare in the Square)**_

David tossed the hat on the table between him and Jefferson,"Can you get me through?"

Jefferson wiped his face, his voice low,"No."

"Can you get them back?" Jefferson sighed and rolled his eyes, before David continued,"Can you get it to work?"

Jefferson sat blank faced for a second before starting to hysterically laugh,"If you only knew."

Danid set his arms down,"Okay, you had a little girl's tea set in your car, so I assume you have a daughter you care about, well so do I, and a wife."

Jefferson's eyes narrowed,"And I don't? They're in the Enchanted Forest, for sure but I don't think that matters since we can't get there."

"It still exists?"

"It still exists I don't know if that matters since we can't go there." Jefferson argued his voice carrying.

David looked angry,"So you won't help me?"

Jefferson shurged as he snarkily said,"I'm a portal jumper and you destroyed my portal. So youre out of luck."

David grabbed Jefferson's scarf yanking him up out of his chair,"Well i'm the closet thing to a sheriff here, so I can just throw you into a cell until you figure out a way."

Jefferson started to speak before he was flung back into his seat, sitting in his chair looking defeated and sad,"Then all we'll do is both sit, stuck two lives in our heads cursed worse then ever. Two lives forever at odds, double the pain, double the suffering."

Jefferson tossed the table up flipping over a chair as he ran out of Granny's, causing David to chase after him, his years of running away made Jefferson fast so he out paced David who was stopped by Ruby.

Ruby grabbed hold of David's shirt,"David, stop."

David tried to move around Ruby,"Get out of my way."

"Regina has Henry." Ruby said moving to block David's line of sight from Jefferson.

"But he has the way." David exclaimed trying to move around Ruby watching Jefferson turn the corner as he ran off.

Ruby got David's attention as Jefferson left David's immediate line of sight,"She has Henry she's threatening everyone.

"She has Henry?" David panted.

"She showed up at your town meeting the one you missed. Her magic's back. Everyone's panicking. They want to leave town. They will lose everything." Ruby spoke enunciating each word as she shook David gently.

David nodded stopping Ruby from shaking him,"Okay, Okay, but I have to go after him first. He's my only hope of finding a way to get Emma, Snow, and Alice back."

Ruby shook her head,"Back to what? This town is about to come apart. You've got to do something."

_**(Don't let idiots run your day. Oh Aasiyah is Isabelle's fairytale name)**_

Jefferson sat in the alley behind Mr. Gold's pawn shop loosening the scarf around his neck.

"Jefferson!" Isabelle hissed as she appeared in the alley before flickering a way quickly.

Jefferson jerked his head against the wall rubbing it as Isabelle appeared again," Aasiyah, what are you doing here?"

Isabelle/Aasiyah knelt down her black and red corset dress bending as she balanced herself using Jefferson's bent knee,"It's about Alice."

Jefferson started to fix the scarf around his neck and froze realizing what Aasiyah said,"What happened?"

Aasiyah frowned,"She went through the hat with Emma and Mary Margret."

"He didn't mention that."Jefferson said quietly.

Aasiyah shook her head her wavy dark black and green hair falling in her face,"He wouldn't. He didn't know."

Jefferson growled,"Does it matter?"

Aasiyah's augberine eyes narrowed,"Help him, you can get Alice back."

Jefferson groaned as he stood up and pulled Aasiyah up,"I am the best bet. Alice made me realize that time is the one thing I… we don't have. Where's Grace?"

Aasiyah gestured behind her,"Granny's, Ruby's watching over her."

Jefferson held out his hand an old gesture from when she was a little girl, following her sister and brother-in-law around,"Then let's go put our family back together, Prinţesă." _**(Princess)**_

Aasiyah took his hand," David is at the police station, but Grace is first."

_**(A group of butterflies is called a flutter)**_

Aasiyah walked into Granny's tapping Grace on the shoulder gently,"Gracie, time to go."

Grace looked up and smiled,"Five more minutes please?"

Jefferson walked in making the doorbell ring and hesitantly spoke,"Grace?"

Grace looked around Aasiyah at Jefferson, who was holding the door open giving himself a way out,"Papa! You came back."

Grace ran up to her father as he knelt down to pick her up,"Of course I did, Bunny. It just took me a lot longer than expected.

Grace pulled away as Jefferson smiled," Are you gonna get Mama back?"

Jefferson nodded,"Mmhhmm, we're going to go talk David and I'll see what I can do."

_**(A group of tigers is called an ambush or streak)**_

Henry looked up as Jefferson walked into the police station followed by Aasiyah and Grace," Hey guys. David's in his office."

Aasiyah sat down kicking her spiked seven inch heels up,"Don't you have school, Henry?"

Henry shook his head,"Not until tomorrow."

Aasiyah raised an eyebrow as she started to braid Grace's hair. David walked out and went to start speaking but Jefferson cut him off," No, I didn't have a change of heart but you could have told me that my wife was with Emma and Snow."

David frowned,"So you won't help?"

Jefferson rolled his eyes,"No, I didn't say that we can't use the hat anymore becuase of you and the only other portal I know about is the wardrobe, but it's outside city limits and we know what happens when you cross the border."

"So what do we do?" David asked leaning on a desk.

Jefferson shrugged," We wait, knowing the three of them? They will find a way to get back here. I will look into ways to get them back but, no promises."

_**Next chapter will be featuring the enchanted forest.**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Doing Camp Nanowrimo who wants to join me.**_

Alice followed Mulan and Aurora ignoring how the rope chafed her wrists, occasionally stumbling as Emma and Mary Margaret yanked her back. Alice growled as the cold wind from the ocean bit through her brown flimsy leather jacket and was glad she had the sense to put on her boots instead of heels. She felt naked without her sword which was currently secured to the horse in front of her, across Mulan's lap.

"What is this place?" Snow asked, as the horses slowed allowing Alice to look around and become slightly irritated at the lack of familiar landmarks.

Mulan was looking head at a island a couple miles away,"Our home."

Alice looked around as she was lead into the village, slightly familiar in structure with unfamiliar people around it, helping to secure various things, such as the guard rail along the watchtower allowing a good vantage point of the entrance incase there were raiders.

Alice pulled her hands up and started to tug on the ropes experimentally seeing how well they were tied as Emma took in the villagers looking up at her in shock and confusion,"It's like they're refugees."

Mulan lead her horse in by its bridle looking up at Emma and stating,"We're survivors."

Mary Margaret turned around and hit Aurora hard in the stomach, causing Alice to step back and stay put knowing that if she cooperated she might have a chance of being trusted,"Run."

Alice went to help Aurora up as Mary Margaret and Emma tried to run as Mulan threw a bolas at Mary Margaret hitting her in the back knocking her unconscious,"Mary Margaret!"

Alice struggled to pull Aurora to her feet with her bound hands but managed to do so, as Emma ran back to check on her mother,"What did you do?"

Alice followed Mulan over as she pointed a sword at Emma,"Take them to the pit! All of them."

Alice set her jaw and covered her ring as a man grabbed her and pulled her to the pit.

Emma grunted as she was tossed in followed by Mary Margaret, Alice was shoved in and stumbled catching herself on the wall and then pressing her back into it before speaking up,"They could've killed you."

Emma glared at her,"At least we tried to find a way out."

"So you hit the person who probably holds the most influence?"Alice looked down at Emma curiously through her curtain of long blonde hair.

Emma didn't answer and went back to shaking Mary Margaret awake,"Come on. Wake up, Can you hear me?"

A voice came out of the shadows and Alice couldn't identify it but felt as if ice water was poured down her spine,"Do you need help?"

Emma looked up as Alice tried to blend in more wishing she had her father's dark hair,"Who are you?"

The voice had red hair and was older, female, and honeyed,"A friend. My name is Cora."

Alice froze hidden by that name remembering where she heard it before,_ 'Wonderland, She's the Queen of Hearts.'_

_**Finished up the second episode, I am serious about the nanowrimo thing though message me if you want to be apart of it. Please rate and review.**_


	15. Chapter 15

Cora bent over Snow brushing her hair leaving a knot in Alice's stomach as she wanted to tell Emma but couldn't not till she was sure,"Will she be alright?"

Cora looked up to answer Emma's question,"She'll be fine."

Emma looked around and up through the skylight,"What is this place where are we?"

Alice decided to step out of the shadows and walk around the prison looking for weak spots only to be disheartened to find the only viable escape route was the sky light 20 or so feet above them,"It's a little island our captors like to think of as their haven."

"Haven? From what?"

Alice spoke up,"Bandits and ogres, most likely."

Emma looked up at Alice as if she momentarily forgot that she was there,"Well they can't keep us here forever, we didn't do anything wrong."

Cora shrugged,"Neither did I."

Alice made a noncommittal motion,"People have been arrested for less."

Emma looked skeptical,"Then why are you here?"

Cora looked down with faked sadness,"I'm here for something my daughter did. The curse that ravaged this land…. She cast it."

Emma looked surprised,"You're Regina's mother?"

Cora nodded slightly before looking Emma in the eye,"You have nothing to fear from me, the apple fell very far from the tree."

Alice snorted remembering the story Jefferson told her about Regina's fault filled with hearts her mother yanked out and that if you were quiet enough you could hear the beating. Cora and Emma both looked at her like she had something to say. Alice raised an eyebrow,"Don't mind me."

Snow stood up as Alice helped her,"Emma."

Snow saw who Emma was talking to and whispered,"No."

Cora acted happy when she saw that Snow was awake, acted as it was the same way Jefferson's mother acted when they went to his hometown,"Oh, Snow. You're awake. I'm so relieved."

Emma was pulled away by Snow and Alice, as Snow whispered,"As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse."

Alice nodded,"Jefferson's told me stories about how she ripped out people's hearts and kept them in boxes in a vault."

Emma glared at Alice once again,"So you're still listening to the crazy guy."

Alice narrowed her eyes,"He's seen it, so has Dr. Whale. Plus, he was right about the whole curse business, wasn't he?"

"That's besides the point." Emma hissed back.

Snow broke up the glaring match between the two of them,"We're getting off subject."

Cora spoke up causing Snow to put herself in front of Emma, as Alice growled quietly,"Oh Snow. Sweet Snow, please. Believe me, whatever she told you isn't true. I just want to help you.

Emma whispered,"Let's hear her out."

"Emma." Snow said cutting her off.

Emma continued speaking ignoring the warning look of Alice,"Okay right now we are at the bottom of a hole with no other options, and Henry is back in Storybrooke with Regina."

Alice glance over slightly,"She wouldn't hurt him. Grace? Maybe, but that would be to hurt me or Jefferson. I've dealt with her personally she loves Henry to the best of her ability in the best way she knows how to."

"Who's Henry and Grace?"

Emma answered without thinking,"Our kids, Henry's my son and Grace is Alex's daughter."

Snow grabbed Emma's arms,"Don't talk to her."

A male voice came through a skylight dropping a rope,"Enough! Our leader requests an audience."

_**(Bop bop bop bop)**_

Jefferson, Aasiyah, and Grace walked with David and Henry,"So what's the plan with Operation Scorpion?"

David looked down at Henry and shared a confused look with Jefferson,"What's Operation Scorpion?"

"The code name for our mission to find Emma, Snow, and Alice. Do you guys prefer Viper? That was my second choice."

David looked down at Henry,"Henry we need to talk."

Henry looked up," Yeah, Scorpion's better."  
"No, it's not that. It's….."

Grace hugged her father and her aunt, before running off to the bus. Henry stopped and looked at David,"I'm not coming with you. WHy not?"

Jefferson spoke up,"We need to find a way to restore the hat, if we even can. Which would require magic, and as you know, magic comes with a price."

David cut Jefferson off as Aasiyah looked intrigued,"I'm sorry we can't let you any where near this stuff. If you really want to help us you'll go to school with Grace."

"Okay." Henry said running onto the bus with Grace as they watched David, Jefferson, and the bouncy figure of Aasiyah walk away.

_**(More incoherent noises)**_

"Why can't you just listen to us?" Snow asked.

"Why couldn't you have trusted me? I was just trying to find away to get us home. I could have handled her."

"Cora? Don't be so surer?"

"Think Regina but soulless." Alice cheerily responded.

"Regina has a soul?" Emma asked her voice colored with disbelief.

"More than her mother anyway." Alice said having a hunch about how Jefferson got that scar. _'So why didn't he tell me? You would of thought he was crazy.'_

"Emma we used to live here we know the dangers of this world." Snow said.

"And others." Alice supplied helpfully.

"Wait here." The bald man who got them out of the hole stop and held out his hand as he left to go get the leader.

"Is that why you two came through the portal?" Emma asked looking at the both of them,"Because you thought I was helpless here?"

"I don't want to be here anymore than you, Emma." Alice said her voice guarded.

"No. I came through to be with you." Snow said as she recognised the leader of the camp as he exited his thatch house,"Lancelot?"

Launcelot walked toward Snow in full armor,"Snow."

Launcelot and Snow ran toward each other and hugged, as Alice dryly said,"You two know each other I presume?"

Lancelot nodded and started to speak,"If I'd known that you were the prisoners Mulan had brought back, I never would have locked you away. PLease forgive me."

"Of course." Snow said nodding.

Lancelot looked at Alice,"And if I had know that we had Targaryen royalty my actions would have been different towards you as well, Your Highness."

Alice nodded,"I understand you needed to protect your people, and please call me Alice."

Emma looked at the three of them as Alice shook Launcelot's hand,"Launcelot? Really"

Alice and Snow spoke at the same time,"He's an old friend. We can trust him."

Snow introduced Emma before beginning to speak about what happened.

Alice looked at the plate of grilled meat set out in front of them as Emma leaned forward," What the hell is that?"

Lancelot looked amused,"That is Chimera, an acquired taste but all our hunting party could bring back."

Alice shrugged,"Could be worse. Could be rotten."

Lancelot nodded at her as he sat down,"It's one part lion, one part serpent, one part goat."

Emma speared a piece and looked at it curiously,"Like turducken."

Alice jerked her head to the side,"In a way."

Snow started to speak to Lancelot as Alice grabbed a piece of meat,"I don't understand. We were told the land was destroyed."

"It takes a lot more than the dark curse to destroy a world, Snow Alice said before sinking her teeth into the Chimera.

"Finding this safe haven wasn't easy, took a lot of spilt blood, but worry not. You're safe here."

Snow continued speaking not touching the food,"We can't stay. My husband's back there, Emma's soon, my grandson-"

Alice cut Snow off,"My daughter and my husband. Would it be possible for you to help us locate a portal?"

Lancelot looked at the two of them,"Leaving is unwise. The enchanted forest is not as you remember it. The ogres have returned."

Alice choked on her water,"I thought they were extinct."

Lancelot looked at her as she coughed,"One could say the same of Dragons.

"Orges, like fi-fi-fo-fum?" Emma asked confused about the way Alice accepted the comment of dragons as if it was common place.

"Those would be giants." Snow said softly.

Launcelot continued,"Ogres are far worse. That's why we live here, on this island, where it's safe. Please, Snow, Alice, stay here there are no more portals left."

Alice made a disbelieving sound,"There might be one that can get us back."

Snow shot Alice a look and mouthed a word that made Alice nod,"Cora's near. We can't voice our plans."

Lancelot nodded,"The curse stripped her of her powers, but we kept her locked up as a precaution.

Alice blinked understandingly,"We'd rather be safe than risk endangering people who are defenseless against the terror she wrought."

Snow looked at Lancelote and asked,"Please let us go."

Lancelot nodded but looked conflicted,"I'll allow it on one condition, you take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to help defend you."

Emma glared at Mulan and Lancelot,"We can defend ourselves."

Snow and Alice shared a look before Alice spoke her voice commanding and final,"Deal."

Snow smiled ignoring the confused look Emma was shooting the both of them,"Thank you Lancelot. For always looking out for me."

Mulan tossed open a chest, then handed Alice back her sword which she secured against her hip resting her hand on the hilt,"Choose wisely. We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey."

Emma grabbed a dagger and stuffed it in her boot as Snow grabbed a bow and arrows and Alice grabbed a dagger with a hip sheath sliding it opposite of her sword incase it was to close combat for swords,"Where's my gun? I want it back."

Mulan reached into a pocket in her armor and pulled it out looking at it curiously,"Is it magic?"

Emma took the gun from her,"Depends on who's pulling the trigger."

Mulan looked at the three of them,"Follow my lead, step where I step, do exactly as I say and we might survive."

Emma scoffed,"Thanks for the pep talk, but I think we're okay. I just killed a dragon last week."

Snow froze as Mulan started to speak her voice low and questioning,"Have you ever seen an ogre?"

"Pretty sure I've dated a few."

Mulan not really close to Emma,"Legend has it that when they kill you, the last thing you see is yourself dying in the reflection of their eyes. Let's walk. It will be dark soon."

Alice followed Mulan shouldered on either side by Snow or Emma,"Don't let her rattle you. I won't let anything happen to us."

Alice nodded,"I'll have your back, Snow."

Snow pulled forward slightly,"Stick to the plan."

"What is the plan? No one's told me anything. What's going on?"

Snow leaned over,"The wardrobe."

Alice spoke unlike most portals that take you from point a to point b in realms or across them the portal can take you to a land without magic."

"First we have to see if it survived the curse. THen we worry about making it work."

Alice was silent for a moment,"The waters of Lake Nostos will help if it doesn't."

_**(Why don't a lot of people write reviews for stories? genuinely curious)**_

Mulan looked behind her,"This will do, We'll make camp here for the night. We just need to find water, collect some firewood."

Emma looked tired from walking so much while Alice felt as if she was stretching some old muscles,"Uh, If we're hiding from ogres, shouldn't we maybe, I don't know, not start a fire?"

Snow spoke as Alice looked around the clearing for any obvious sources of water or firewood,"Ogres are blind. They hunt by sound alone."

"Right. Because that's something everyone would know about ogres."

Snow came close to Emma as Alice surveyed the clearing for any dangerous,"Look… I know you're out of your element…."

"I'm fine."

"I know but maybe you should just stay here while we get wood and water guard the campsite."

"You mean the big empty clearing?"

Snow sighed,"It's the safest place. We'll be right back."

Alice shot Emma a remorseful look as she went deeper into the forest away from Snow and Mulan.

_**(AND I-EY-I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUU)**_

ALice heard the gunshot and dropped the wood running toward the sound seeing Emma with her arm in the air, as she pointed the gun at Mulan.

"Protecting you. Drop the weapon."

Snow looked freaked out,"Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

Alice heard groaning and pulled out her sword, and twisted trying to find the location of the sound.

Emma turned around,"Ogres?"

Alice slid the sword back in her sheath and turned away from the sound as Snow screamed,"RUN!"

"Aurora this way." Mulan said pulling up the fallen princess.

Alice and Emma pulled ahead of everyone,"Come on! Faster!"

Snow pulled Emma with her,"Split up."

Alice ran with Snow and Emma,"Over there."

Alice and Snow kept running as Emma tripped, causing them to turn around a few seconds later when they realized she was missing. Alice saw the ogre leaning over Snow as she ran to the side to call its attention, distracting it so Snow could kill it.

Emma looked impressed as Alice clapped Snow on the shoulder,"You have to shoot them in the eye."

"When was the last time you shot an arrow?"

Snow looked sorta impressed with herself,"28 years ago. Guess it's kinda like riding a bike."

"Yeah, but how did you know you could hit that?"

Snow shrugged,"I didn't"

Alice snorted and shook her head,"Good shot though."

"Thanks. We should get going."

Emma looked upset as she followed Snow and Alice.

_**(Did you like my singing?)**_

"We're almost there." Snow said recognizing some landmarks.

Aurora grunted and stumbled, causing Mulan to speak,"Aurora you've got to keep up."

Aurora pulled her cape off the branch,"Sorry, but I'm not exactly dressed for the woods. It's cold out here."

Alice shrugged off her soft leather jacket revealing a dark grey waistcoat and black tank top underneath,"Here this will warm you up a bit."

Aurora held the jacket,"But I tried to kill your friend."

Alice shrugged, "she can handle herself."

Alice jogged to catch up with Snow, hearing Aurora faintly say,"What kind of corset is this?"

Alice caught up to SNow and Emma as Mulan spoke up again,"Up here!"

Emma looked out at the castle,"Is that it?"  
Snow sighed wistfully,"Yeah, that's our home."

Alice looked out at the castle wishing for the warmth of Dragonstone, and the large garden where she would chase Grace around when she was younger.

_**(I honestly thought there was less jefferson hinged stuff in episode 3)**_

"Oh my god, I recognize this from Henry's book."Emma said touching the wardrobe as Snow looked around.

"We'll stand watch at the gate." Mulan said pulling Aurora along who looked a little warm now that she had a jacket and they were inside.

Snow picked up a toy,"I'd never thought I'd see this place again. This room, it was your nursery."

Alice looked at how different the contents were from Grace's nursery and from Aasiyah's the lack of familiar motifs and the darker colors of a royal nursery were missing and she felt extremely homesick, missing the three people who made her feel at home. Emma walked closer to Snow,"I lived here?"

Snow looked sad,"You never even got to spend a night. This is the life I wanted you to have. I was going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball. You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family."

Emma spoke up pulling Alice from her thoughts as she started off the balcony,"We have a family, in Storybrooke. The three of us, Jefferson, Isabelle, Grace, David and Henry. They're all waiting for us to come back. So how do we get this to work?"

Alice looked at the wardrobe with Emma and Snow trying to feel the magic that portals had the magic that came off Jefferson's hat,

"SO how are we supposed to get this thing back to the island" Emma asked looking at the empty wardrobe.

"With the help of an old friend." Lancelot said coming out of the shadows making Alice develop a knot in her stomach.

"Lancelot, what are you doing here?"

"We heard about the ogre attack and decided to come help."

"Where are Mulan and Aurora?"

Lancelot approached Snow causing Alice to back up,"I sent them to find food, tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning we'll head back. So…. this is it, the portal you were after."

"The same one Emma went through. It's how she escaped the curse."

"Remarkable."

Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but...There's no magic left."

"A portal this powerful…... There must be another way to recharge it."

Emma and Alice shared a confused look as Snow teased,"Why are you so interested in the wardrobe."

"Well I just want to get you home to your husbands and children, Henry,"Lancelot looked at Alice,"And your Grace."

Alice felt frozen with fear as it was an idiosyncracy of Jefferson's to say My Grace, Our Grace, Your Grace, because to him Grace was his saving grace. SNow caught on as she pulled out her sword followed by ALice and held it to Lancelot's throat while Alice held the point close to his heart,"Who are you? We only told one person Henry and Grace's name."

"Cora."

Lancelot disappeared in a puff of blue smoke,"Clever girl."

Alice's sword wavered barely as she was filled with fear that she masked with an icy look of contempt,"Let me guess you killed him?"

Cora nodded at Alice,"You were always smarter than the hatter, what his name, gave you credit for."

Alice's mask fractured for half a second as she growled lowly like a cornered tiger,"Give me a reason to kill you."

Cora used her magic to throw Snow and Emma across the room as Cora cornered Alice lifting her up and choking her causing her to gasp from lack of air, "Thank you Alice, I've been looking for a way over for so long. When I get there maybe I'll pay your husband a visit, see if he got it to work."

ALice let out a strangled cry of rage as she shot Cora a murderous glare. Emma lit the wardrobe on fire as Cora pulled the fire away to launch at Emma which was deflected by Mulan. Emma was helped up by Aurora as Snow stood up, Cora looked at Alice who was struggling against the magic,"We're not done."

Cora disappeared causing Alice t slump to the ground and start crying, Emma went to help her up,"Alex what's wrong?"

Alice looked at Emma her hand covering her mouth as she whispered,"She's gonna kill him."

Emma pushed Alice's hair out of her face,"Jefferson survived her once right? He can do it again."

"She's already got a way to see her daughter, she will kill him. She only kept him alive because she thought he could replicate his hat. Emma she will slaughter everyone in Storybrooke finishing with our families because nothing is worse than seeing something happen and not being able to do anything." Alice whimpered her brown eyes looking at Emma wide and full of barely contained terror.

"How could I be so blind? How could I not see it was Cora?" Mulan Said pacing like a caged animal.

"Well to be fair, the whole shapeshifting thing threw me too." Emma said dryly looking at Alice who was still crouched on the floor panicking quietly.

"What are we going to tell the people on the island?" Mulan asked speaking rapidly.

Alice stood up her voice shaky as she bent down to grab her sword,"You tell them he died a hero's death and that he will live on in legend. Come on we should go. Find another way back home."

Aurora passed Alice back her jacket,Mulan stopped pacing to look at Alice and speak,"Cora's still out there. We need to find here, and defend what's left of the kingdom."

Aurora looked concerned,"Who's going to lead us? You?"

Mulan looked at her,"No. Her."

Snow saw that everyone was looking at her,"I'm honored but Alice, Emma, and I still have to find a way back to Storybrooke."

"We'll help you, we'll find a way, won't we?" Mulan asked softly.

Aurora nodded slightly,"Yes. Perhaps it will help me channel my anger."

Snow nodded as Mulan held out her hand,"Come."

Alice went follow Mulan and Aurora out but was stopped by EMma,"I'm sorry, I torched our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry or Grace."

"You put our families first." Alice and Snow said at the same time,"We understand."

Alice hugged Emma quietly and was joined by Snow,"We'll get them back okay, we have Prince Charming, a man who jumped portals for a living and a stubborn girl looking for us and that's not counting Henry or Grace. If we can't find away back they can."

Alice followed Emma out of the nursery wiping her eyes, as Snow shut the door behind them.

_**(What now?)**_

Aasiyah tapped on the car door that was housing Grace and Henry at the moment as both decided to leave school at lunch,"Hey kids."

Grace rolled down the window,"Any closer to finding them?"

Aasiyah shook her head,"No but David and Jefferson want me to teach you both how to sword fight so I picked these up while you were at school."

Grace climbed out of the car followed by Henry taking one of the three wooden swords from Aasiyah,"Will we learn how to fight a dragon?"

Aasiyah blocked the clumsy swing from Henry, and a still clumsy but natural trust from Grace,"eventually, if you practice and keep up with it I can't see why not.

_**Because of the Nanowrimo thing I will be updating more often but I suggest you don't get used to it as I'm trying my best but a little over halfway to my goal of 50,000 words.**_


	16. Chapter 16

"Keep swinging Dwarves." Grumpy said to the people in the mine which amused Jefferson as he was working in the mines. David looked at Henry who was trying not to laugh and Grace who was leaning against the wall with her nose in a book.

"Hey Ruby." Grace said without looking up closing her book.

"They find any fairydust yet?"Ruby asked passing blueberry muffins to Grace and Henry.

"No, not yet. But they will, and when they do, well figure out a way to get Mary Margaret, Alice, and my mom back."

Ruby nodded at the two of them, "I'll be back later with lunch."

David turned to grab his shirt as Jefferson slid on a grey shirt and black waist coat fixing his scarf so no one could see his scar,"I hate mine dust."

"It's when you get black lung that you start to hate mine dust." Jefferson said remembering how many men in his village when they would cough they'd leave black marks on the clothes from the coal and rock dust.

"Leroy, You find anything we'll be at the sheriff's station." David said as Jefferson took a piece of Grace's muffin ignoring her protests.

"You taking over as sheriff?" Leroy asked coming to talk to David.

"Stepping in...Until Emma gets back" David shook Leroy's hand and headed out with Jefferson and Grace as Jefferson began to ramble on about a compass of some sort.

_**(Line break)**_

"Ah, Jefferson. Is David with you?" Jefferson held the door open as David came down stairs after grabbing his gun.

"You two know each other?" David asked.

"Long story, why are you here Rumple?" Jefferson asked noticing the piece of paper in Rumplestiltskin's hand.

"I'm here to report a missing person." Rumplestiltskin said handing the paper to Jefferson, allowing him to look at the picture of Belle.

"Is Belle okay?" Jefferson questioned sitting on the edge of the old table passing the paper to David.

"You know her?"

"Got her out of the hospital basement, least I could do." Jefferson shrugged in away that said it's not a big deal.

"How do you know she's even missing and not just run away?" David asked as Rumplestiltskin head toward the kitchen.

"The townsfolk are less than sympathetic to my plight, but you two are in the rather unique position to understand exactly what I'm going through. Will you help me?"

_**(Drawing is hard i do not recommend it)**_

David walked away from a black car and a man who was rather unhelpful in locating Belle, "Do you remember turning a butcher into a pig? Apparently he does it was his father. I'm beginning to understand why people don't want to help you." David said ignoring Jefferson's warning look.  
Rumplestilskin ignored him,"Where to next?"

"Granny's, we can see who else you terrorized there."

"Can i ask you a question? About you and Mary Margaret? H-How are…. How does that work?"

"Are you asking dating advice?" David asked disbelievingly.

"He could be asking because you turned a perfectly good woman into the town hussy." Jefferson supplied unhelpfully.

David shot Jefferson a glare trying to smother his smug grin,"Honesty. That's how we did it. Hard work and being honest with each other."

"Well… I don't lie." Rumple said.

"There's a difference between literal truth and honesty of the heart. Nothing has taught me that more than this curse."

Jefferson spoke under his breath,"At least you got to forget. My happiness would have been forgetting."

_**(Line break)**_

Ruby looked at the picture in her hand,"Belle, huh? Sorry. Doesn't ring a bell."

David took the picture back,"Ruby, listen to me. If you come across her, you gotta tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."

Ruby narrowed her eyes as Jefferson began to speak lowly to Aasiyah,"Yeah but what about him?"

"I've got him. Trust me."

Ruby looked conflicted as she began to speak,"She _was_ in earlier. She was looking for a job. I pointed her in the direction of the library."

Rumplestilskin stepped forward," When do you think she got there?"

Ruby shrugged as Jefferson approached the three of them,"Don't know. But…. when you find her, give her this. She left it in her booth."

Rumplestilskin touched the scarf Ruby put on the counter,"No, that's mine. She didn't have anything for the cold."

Ruby looked at David and Jefferson,"You sure you'll watch out for her?"

THey both nodded as David spoke,"Yes. WHy?"

Ruby pursed her lips,"I think… I think I can find her. Lately since things changed, I've been, uh, a little more sensitive to odors."

"What, you can smell her?" Rumple asked in disbelief as Jefferson leaned forward curiously.

Ruby held out her hand for the blue scarf which rumple reluctantly gave up,"I guess it's because of the whole wolf thing."

Ruby sniffed the scarf, and headed out from behind the counter followed by the three men. She led them through out town before she came to a florist shop and turned around confused trying to locate Belle's scent again.

"What's wrong?" David asked seeing Ruby spin trying to locate Belle's scent over the flowers.

"I can't find her anymore, I lost her scent." Ruby said becoming frustrated.

Jefferson took a deep breath finding the scent of the flowers to be uncomfortably strong,"It's because of the flowers right?"

Ruby nodded as Jefferson walked around the shop,"I can't track her anymore, sorry."

"Don't be this is her father's shop." Rumplestiltskin said pointing to the sign, as he began to walk inside, letting Jefferson, Ruby and David wait outside, but they followed him in anyways.

"You again, out! This is a private establishment and you're not welcomed." Moe said pointing towards the door trying to show some form of authority.

"Wheres Belle?" Rumplestiltskin asked rather calmly.

"I won't let anything happen to her, Moe." David said getting an eyebrow raise from Jefferson.

"We're just worried." Ruby said.

"Don't be. She's safe. So you can stop looking."

"Look if I could just have the chance to talk to her." Rumplestiltskin said walking close to Moe.

Jefferson spoke up,"Have you even seen her? Or do you just want us to stop looking?"

Moe looked shocked by the line of questions,"Yes I've seen her. That's how I know."

Jefferson raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips before pretending to be lost in thought. Moe began to speak again,"You'll destroy Belle like you destroy everything else. Well I won't let that happen."

Rumplestilskin got extremely close to moe causing Jefferson to take a small step forward so he could grab him if need be,"What have you done with her?"

"There's only one way to get her away from you."

Jefferson felt horrified as it dawned on him,"You're taking her across the town line aren't you?"

Moe's silence was all Jefferson needed for an answer,"She's in the mines. David, we've got to go."

Jefferson and David threw Moe into the back of the flower van as Rumple and Ruby hopped in the front driving to the entrance of the mines.

Everyone watched as Rumplestiltskin pulled Belle back from near the town line when the cart reached the end of the track Jefferson easily picked the lock and picked her up out of the cart,"I've got you. Belle, are you okay?"

Belle wrapped her arms around Jefferson's neck,"Yes I'm fine."

Jefferson set her down as RUby hugged her and Rumplestiltskin and David stood off to the side awkwardly.

Rumplestilskin approached Belle warily,"Do you remember who I am?"

Belle nodded,"I do Rumplestiltskin I do."

Rumplestilskin and Belle hugged before Belle pushed him away,"What's wrong?"

"Thank you for what you just did, but that doesn't mean you're too cowardly to be honest with me."

"But, Belle, I-" Rumple started before being cut off by Moe

"I tried to tell him that, Belle. Come with me, Darling."

Belle looked shocked and Jefferson looked over at him in disbelief,"After what you just tried to do to me? You're no better, Father. You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do. If either of you cared about me you would've listened. I don't want to see either of you again. Ever."

Jefferson watched as Belle walked away sadly before clapping his hands and cheerily saying,"Look on the bright side, at least we saved her right?"

Everyone looked at him mildly appalled as Rumplestiltskin spoke,"Ah, Jefferson always the pessimistic optimist."

"It is always quite amusing to be me. You get the spoils of the hero but you play be the rules of a villain. I'm the rouge in this story." Jefferson said his smug personality coming back to life.

"And in your own?" David asked warily.

Jefferson just smiled,"That is a question only few people know the answer to. You'll never be one of them."


	17. Chapter 17

Alice and the group began to head back to the island as Aurora voiced her concerns,"I don't know if I can do this, I'm not a very good liar."

Snow spoke up trying to ease her mind,"Oh it's not really a lie, Aurora."

Alice nodded,"It's the truth, minus a few particular details."

"There's no reason to cause unnecessary panic among your people." Emma said agreeing with her mom and her friend.

Alice and Mulan froze as they didn't see the guards on the sentry post,"I'm not so sure it's unnecessary-"  
Mulan held up a hand as Alice put a hand on her sword and quietly drew it out,"_Wait._ The tower we always have sentries guarding the entrance. Stay close."

Mulan and Alice ran through the smokey village looking at how many people Cora killed,"Oh my god."

Mulan finished walking through the village searching for survivors,"This can't be. Our land we were protected here hidden. How did the ogres find us?"

Alice finished looking at one of the wounds on the corpse at her feet before grimacing,"This wasn't orges. This is Cora, the queen of hearts, she rips out people's heart and if it pleases her, crushes them, effectively killing them. Anyone who practices dark magic is capable of doing it."

Snow looked horrified at the clinical way Alice recanted her information,"We have to stop her."

"Too late, she killed them. She killed all of them." Mulan said her emotionless voice masking rage and sadness.

"We have to stop her before she hurts anyone else!" Snow said outraged.

Emma saw a rustle of movement underneath the bodies and went towards it,"Hey. Hey! Look, he's still alive."

Mulan and Aurora worked on pulling him out as Alice and Emma worked on moving some of the debris,"Please help me."

Snow stood over him,"It's okay. You're safe now we won't hurt you."

Alice narrowed her eyes at the man and unsurely spoke the man's name,"Killian?"

Killian looked up at Alice surprised that she was there,"Alice, always nice to see you when you don't have a sword pointed at my throat."

Alice shrugged her blonde hair in the sunlight looking like gold,"That could always change, Captain."

Everyone looked at Alice shocked as she yanked Killian up not letting him regain his balance before pushing him to a tree and pressing her sword against his throat,"How did you survive? I know Cora and she wouldn't have stopped until she was sure everyone was dead."

Killian narrowed his eyes at her feeling the blade press against his throat more. Alice stared at him hard for a second before speaking again,"Mulan grab some rope, maybe if we tie him up we'll get the results we want."

Mullan grabbed a rope and secured it around him with the help of Emma tying it tightly. Alice loosened the pressure on Killian's neck as, Emma stood in front of him and whistled.

_**(Welp i'm pooped)**_

Jefferson and David stood outside off Granny's talking to one of the town's people asking about information as Whale came up behind them,"Hey, you too."

Jefferson rolled his eyes as he turned around,"I have a name you know."

Whale and Jefferson hugged before pulling apart,"Learning it would require me to care."

David turned around and punched Whale in the jaw causing Jefferson to flinch back before making sure Whale was okay. Dr. Whale rubbed his jaw,"What the hell was that for?"

David shook out his hand,"Sleeping with my wife."

Jefferson and Whale looked at each other confused,"Kathryn?"

David shook his head,"Snow."

Jefferson tilted Whale's face to the side as he looked for bruising,"Look I didn't know. All right? I was cursed."

Jefferson ran his fingers lightly along Whale's jaw before clapping him on the shoulder,"You'll be fine the only thing seriously wounded is your pride."

Whale nodded in acknowledgement as David spoke,"I know, I don't care. What do you want?"

The three of the sat at a table with Jefferson sitting with his arms across the back of his chair,"So is it true? You guys are trying a portal to get them back."

Jefferson nodded,"It's true."

Dr. Whale looked at Jefferson confused,"But the land is gone it was destroyed by the curse."

Jefferson shook his head,"It isn't I've pulled something back from there, and it would take a lot more to destroy the land, and other lands."

"You having any luck?"

David shook his head,"No, why so interested?"

Dr. Whale and Jefferson shared a look,"Personal reasons."

_**(All for /Killian BROTP cause they're gonna get into some shit together)**_

David pulled up to the stable with Henry and Grace in the cab and Jefferson sitting in the truck bed,"Alright."

Grace and Henry climbed out of the truck bed as Jefferson jumped over the side. Grace ran forward with Jefferson following her. Henry and David followed them as Henry nodded and stretched,"Was that a yawn?"

Henry shrugged,"I didn't get much sleep last night."

David stood and looked Henry in the eye,"I know I miss them too. But just imagine how happy Emma and Snow will be when they find out you're a proper knight."

David looked at Jefferson crouching to look at his daughter trying to cheer her up as he pointed to a stall which held a rose gray mare, Jefferson opened the door and led Grace inside. Jefferson's low voice being barely audible over the noises in the stable.

"Say hello to your steed." David said watching as Henry walked past his horses stable to a grey colored horse.

"Is he mine?" Henry asked petting the horse's nose.

"No he is." David said as a painted horse stuck his head through the stall door.

"Really?" Henry said looking amused as David ran his hands through the horse's mane.

Henry looked up at David as the horse blustered,"So how do I get on him?"

"Oh, you're not riding today."

Henry pet the horse's neck,"I'm not?"

David smiled,"No, there's much to learn before you can hop in the saddle."

"Like what?"

Well, every morning, You'll have to muck out his stall. Then you'll feed him and brush him. After school, you'll do it again. Every day twice a day."

"That's not riding that's babysitting."

"Horsesitting actually. It builds an essential bond. The trust between the knight and his steed."

"Okay…. but, when will I ride him?"

David leaned over and whispered,"When the horse tells you."

David let his voice carry,"I'm gonna go check in on the dwarves. Jefferson can you watch Henry?"

Jefferson stood up and leaned his head out of Grace's horse's stall,"Yeah. No problem."

_**(Flashback this hasn't happened for a while)**_

"That's just outside of my reach." Rumplestiltskin said to the pretty dark haired naive girl in his library.

Jefferson stood in the corner for a second before mockingly saying,"I thought nothing was out of your reach."

Jefferson noticed the looks he was getting,"Busy? Should I…?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked mildly peeved but not to anger,"No. No. Nothing important going on here."

Rumplestilskin waved him over as Jefferson pulled out a crystal ball,"I got what you wanted."

"What about the slippers?"

Jefferson nodded his head in remembrance,"Oh, couldn't find 'em. Heard talk that they already had been moved to another land."

Rumplestilskin started to talk to Jefferson condescendingly,"That's what I need to get to that other land."

Jefferson didn't seem fazed,"Well, come with me and my hat and I'm sure we can work something out."

"No, no your hat can only travel to realms with magic I need to get to a realm without magic."

Jefferson's voice sounded confused as he looked at Rumplestiltskin with a furrowed brow,"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"My business." Rumple said waving him off."

Jefferson rolled his eyes,"Do ya' want the ball or not?"

Rumplestilskin thought about it for a second,"Hmmm. Yes. Help yourself to however much gold you deem appropriate. Oh and you, you can let yourself out."

Jefferson made a thank you gesture as he went over to the bowl and took everything out oh it before shoving it into his satchel. Regina continued to talk to Rumpelstiltskin,"Wait so that's it? You're not going to teach me anymore?"

"So long as you harbor notions about bringing back the dead, so long as you live in the past, you'll never find your future. Teaching you is a waste of my time."

Jefferson tied his satchel back up and put it away walking right up behind Regina and speaking scaring her,"Pardon me…. For eavesdropping. But I think you need to look elsewhere for assistance."

Jefferson looked at her from the far end of the table as Regina, that's what her name was, started to speak,"What do you know about it?"

"I hear things." Jefferson stood up and walked toward her fixing his coat,"Jefferson's the name, and I'm a man of travels, and sees much, and I know the man who can do what you want. Bring back the dead."

Jefferson smiled widely letting Regina know he was serious and interested in something,"He's,um, you might say a wizard. I can bring him to you."

Regina looked at Jefferson warily,"At what price?"

Jefferson looked up and started to ramble,"Always a price indeed so here's mine, like I said I am a man of travels and I've made many enemies along the way, and I'd like a royal passport so I could have free range to traverse your kingdom."

"How would I do that?"

Jefferson's blue eyes widened as he stared at Regina's chest before looking up and squinting,"Well, you're the queen…. Aren't you?

Regina met Jefferson's eyes as he rocked back and forth, and she smiled wickedly,"That's right I am."

Jefferson nodded at Regina and grabbed a bottle off the table as he stuck his thumbs in the pockets of his leather pants,"And this wizard? Can he really bring someone back from the dead?"

Jefferson looked thoughtful for a second,"Well, if he can't, no one can."

Jefferson grabbed a bag off Rumplestiltskin's table as he went to collect his hat from the corner of the room.

_**(Tried to keep it as accurate as possible. Don't hate me.)**_

"Where is this wizard? You promised to bring him to me." Regina asked her voice grating on Jefferson's nerves.

"Indeed, and off we shall go to see him. But I warn you, be cautious."

Regina stopped walking,"Why is he dangerous?"

Jefferson walked back so he could talk to her and dropped his hands on his thigh making a loud noise,"No, not to us. But bear in mind, He's never been to a world like this before. He's unfamiliar with our ways, with our magic."

"All I care about our his ways, and if they will do what I require." Regina said as jefferson put an arm around her and lead her towards the palace courtyard.

"Well, there's one way to find out." Jefferson held out a hand making a grand gesture as he whispered,"May I present to you your salvation."

Regina and Jefferson both walked up behind Dr. Frankenstein as he drew one of the lotus flowers that Regina's husband had growing while he waited.

Jefferson looked around the garden curiously as Regina approach Victor,"Are you the wizard?"

Victor stood up and turned around taking off his glasses,"I prefer Doctor, but you're welcome to call me whatever makes you feel comfortable."

Regina nodded,"Very well, Doctor."

Victor nodded his thanks,"Do you understand why you've been brought here?"

"Of course. Now…."Victor cleared his throat before walking towards Regina,"Show me the patient."

Victor stood over Daniel in his glass coffin checking his hair and other things,"It's remarkable. It's as if his last breath was drawn moments ago."

Regina stepped closer to Victor to explain why,"It's a preservation spell. Can you bring him back?"

Victor looked at her,"Perhaps. Let's take a look."

Jefferson put his arms on the edge of the coffin as Victor cut into Daniel's hand to draw blood to check if he was a viable candidate,"It's wonderful. His condition is ideal. Apart from being dead that is."

Regina looked confused before looking at Victor,"Just how many times have you done this Doctor?"

Victor looked up at Jefferson,"You didn't tell her?"

Jefferson made a _'what the hell'_ gesture at Victor as Regina looked between them,"Tell me what?"

Victor walked toward the head of the coffin,"The procedure is experimental. Success is yet to occur. But if certain conditions are met, I'm optimistic."

Regina's voice was cold,"Optimistic?"

"Just hear him out." Jefferson said exasperated.

"What kind of charlatan are you?" Regina asked

Victor looked offend,"I am no such thing. I was told the last crucial piece of the puzzle exists in this land."

Regina thought for a moment,"What else do you need?"

"A heart. It's a fragile organ, and I need a strong one. I've searched the far reaches of my realm for a heart strong enough to withstand the shock of my procedure. None have survived. But they say, in your land, there are hearts transformed by magic, made so powerful they glow."

"That's why you've come here?"

Victor nodded,"I need this for my work. So tell me, how do you change these hearts? How do you enchant them?"

Jefferson started to speak walking back toward the coffin, explaining the process that Regina was familiar with as well,"Those who practice the dark arts do it by ripping out the organ out of the living while it still beats."

Victor looked shocked,"Mmhmm, And you can do this?"

Regina looked appalled,"No."

"You assured me that this queen was a powerful sorceress." Victor said egging Jefferson on.

'_I'm not getting paid enough to deal with his pretentious bullshit.' _Jefferson thought as he looked down at his hands exhausted and shooting whale a dirty look as Regina spoke,"I will not use magic for evil."

Jefferson spoke in a sweet honeyed voice, the voice he used when he wanted something,"Well, if you want your fiance back, then you're gonna have to find someone who will."

Victor started to pack up his kit,"Have I wasted my time here?"

"No, I know exactly who can help us. I know where to get a heart." Regina said leading them out of her vault and into a room with a fireplace.

Jefferson carelessly tossed himself onto the couch while Victor and Regina went to look at the fire place,"This was my mother's."

"How sweet, but I'm not interested in heirlooms."

Regina turned around to look at Victor,"Oh, I believe you will be. Listen."

Jefferson sat up hearing a thumping sound that he couldn't locate and stood up grabbing his hat, as Victor listened confused,"To a fireplace."

"Just listen."

Jefferson turned trying to locate the source of the sound, hearing it get louder as he began to focus in on it,"Where's is that coming from?"

"My mother's vault." Regina moved her hand displacing the fireplace and revealing a staircase making the heart beats get even louder. Jefferson followed them down last tugging on his long coat uneasily.

"Take your pick." Regina said holding her arms out casually.

"These are all… Hearts?" Victor said looking alarmed.

Jefferson pulled his hat closer to him as he looked around pursing his lips reminding himself to be careful around Regina,"Whose hearts are these?"

Regina shrugged,"I have no idea. She took so many, caused so much pain it was impossible to keep track."

Victor picked out a box, revealing one of the hearts when he opened it,"Finally after all this time. It's perfect."

_**(Awkward when Jefferson sleeps with Regina knowing she's capable of doing this.)**_

Jefferson was helping Henry with his horse as Grace knew what to do she just needed a little reminder. Jefferson was gently petting the horse's neck as Henry brushed it and talked to it,"Gramps says you'll tell me when I'm ready to ride you. So.. anytime. Like soon?"

Jefferson's head shot up as the horses became uneasy and restless,"Henry, go to the stall that Grace is in and stay there. Now!"

Henry bolted into the stall across from the one he was currently in as Daniel walked into the stables making Henry's painted horse bolt out of the stall and Jefferson to press his back against the wall. Jefferson stepped back as Daniel walked into the stall,"You're supposed to be dead."

_**(LIne break)**_

"You wanna talk to us? Or the ogres?" Emma asked.

"Wait you can't just leave me here." Killian said as Mulan and Snow began to pick up their stuff.

"Wait what if he's telling the truth?" Aurora asked looking back at Killian.

Alice barely looked up,"He's a pirate. Pirates lie."

"Fine you win. You finally bested me." Killian said defeated.

Emma looked determined as the growls got closer.,"You better start talking unless you want to be dinner."

"Cora wanted me to gain your trust, so I could learn everything there was about your storybrooke. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got there."

"She can't get there we destroyed the wardrobe." Snow said.

"If she gathered the ashes, the enchantment still lies. She'd need other things to fix it too." Alice mused.

The growling got closer,"Alice is right. Now if you'd kindly cut me loose…."

"We should leave him here for all the lives he took." Mulan said with her sword drawn.

"That was Cora not me." Killian said as Emma began to leave, Alice following shooting him a condescending smile,"Wait! You need me alive."

"Why?" Emma asked.

"We both want the same thing to get back to your land."

"You would say anything to save yourself." Emma said walking close,"Why are we supposed to believe you now?"

"I arranged for transport with Cora, but seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal, I'll help you if you promise to take me along."

Snow looked at Killian with disbelief,"How are you supposed to help us?"

"The ashes that Cora has need something else to work, to find your land. An enchanted compass, I know where it is. I'll help you get it before she does."

Alice pursed her lips as Emma spoke,"So Cora won't make it to Storybrooke and we'll be one step closer to getting home."

Emma looked at Snow and Alice, Snow spoke first,"Sounds too good to be true."

Alice spoke hesitantly,"I believe him. He is opportunistic and right now? We're his best shot."

Emma held her dagger against Killians throat as Alice grabbed her dagger to cut him out,"Why does Captain Hook want to go to storybrooke?"

Killian looked at her his tone serious,"Revenge, against Rumplestiltskin."

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson backed up some more trying to keep Daniel far away from the kids,"Daniel you need to stop. You're scaring the horses."

Jefferson held his hand out as Daniel surged forward grabbing him by his throat and lifting him up slamming his head on the back of the stall. Jefferson couldn't hear Grace screaming as Henry had his hand clamped over her mouth as Jefferson struggled for air, gasping trying to tell Daniel to stop.

"Daniel!" Regina yelled as David and her appeared in the stall's doorway,"Let him go."

Jefferson dropped to the ground as Daniel loosened the pressure on his throat Regina being enough of a distraction to get him out with David's help.

David clapped him on the shoulder,"You okay?"

Jefferson nodded his voice hoarse,"Yeah, I'm fine."

Daniel began to walk towards Regina as David slammed the door shut. Him and Jefferson using their collective body weight to shut the door. Jefferson looked at Grace's stall before shouting,"Grace! Henry, get out! Now!"

Grace and Henry ran out of the stall barely looking back. As David and Regina fought over how to help Daniel.

"Regina can you cast a spell to subdue him?" David asked as Daniel slammed against the stall door.

"No, I won't use magic on him." Regina responded back.

David pulled out his gun ignoring Regina's sounds of protest,"He's a monster Regina!"

Regina tried to push David as Jefferson shifted his body weight against the wall,"Will someone just do something!"

Regina yelled at the both of them,"No I won't let you hurt him! He'll listen to me! Please! Let me talk to my fiance."

_**(If I get a cat I am naming him Fish)**_

Jefferson and Regina stood outside of Victor's medical tent watching him pace around uneasily before coming out.

"The heart, Your Majesty." Victor asked as Regina handed it to him. Victor looked at it once more,"Thank you. Now please wait here. The procedure is one I must perform alone."

Regina looked at Jefferson for an explanation as thunder and lightning rolled in overhead,"What's he doing back there? Magic?"

Jefferson yelled so he could be heard over the thunder,"He says he wields power greater than magic."

"Really? Why won't he let us see?"

"In his land there's much we don't understand, or can't." Jefferson and Regina saw the red light from the heart as Victor took it out to put inside Daniel,"If he can't achieve what you seek, Rumplestiltskin was right, it can't be done."

Lightning struck the tent causing Regina to grab Jefferson and for him to put his arms around her alarmed by the sudden flash. Jefferson let Regina go a few seconds later watching Victor come out defeated.

"Well?" Regina asked looking hopeful and Jefferson almost felt bad, almost.

"I'm sorry." Victor had condolences written across his face,"I failed. The heart wasn't strong enough it couldn't withstand the procedure."

Jefferson rubbed his face as Regina walked into the medical tent crying and laying her head on Daniel's chest.

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson sat on David's car consoling Grace who had her arms tight around her neck,"Grace' I'm okay."

Grace shook her head and buried it deeper into her father's shoulder as Henry sat on the hood of David's car,"Thanks for looking out for him, Jefferson."

Jefferson removed in arm from Grace's back and sent David a nonchalant gesture,"No problem but I am going to go kick Dr. Whale's ass."

Grace gasped slightly,"You said a bad word."

Jefferson looked down at his daughter,"Your mother has said worse."

Grace smiled and chirped,"I know."

Jefferson put Grace on the car hood next to Henry as Regina walked out numb. Regina walked into Jefferson's arms as Jefferson stood there confused trying to get her to stop crying.

_**(Line break)**_

"Up ahead you'll find the compass just over the ridge."Killian said as Mulan dad her sword pressed between his shoulder blades.

Alice walked back with Emma and Snow feeling uneasy like there was trouble when there was none,"Do you get the feeling he's leading us where Cora want's us and this whole thing is a trap?"

"It's definitely a trap, but if we're expecting a double cross…" Emma started to say.

"We can account for it and figure out how to out maneuver his double cross." Alice finished for her. Alice watched as everyone stopped when a giant beanstalk came into view.

"Let me guess it's up there." Emma said pointing to the bean stalk.

"Oh yes. " Killian said nodding.

"So how are we supposed to get it?" Emma asked.

Killian smiled,"It's not the climb we need to worry about, it's the giant at the top."

Emma headed towards the beanstalk first followed by Alice and Mulan who were pulling Killian along.

_**(LIne break)**_

Jefferson carted Victor threw the forest idly spin his hat on his hand, amusing himself with how Victor struggled to keep up.

"Enough." Victor said fed up with Jefferson's silent treatment and his lack of payment,"I need to be taken home. Now. I have work to do and I believe our deal is done."

Jefferson stopped spinning his hat and spoke for the first time in five hours,"The deal isn't done, until he says it's done."

Jefferson gestured to where Rumpelstiltskin was,"Now. Now. Patience, please. Our transaction is, uh, nearly complete."

Jefferson sat down flipping his hat on to his head and putting his back against a tree, Victor spoke balancing himself against another tree, causing Jefferson to wish that he could use magic to knock Victor on his face,"And are you satisfied with the results?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded,"She did seem rather…. Heartbroken."

Victor stepped down to be closer to Rumple,"She is. She bought my failure."

Jefferson had a sneer in his voice, as he opened the bag to pull out Victor's box."You should have seen her tears."

Rumplestilskin walked closer to Jefferson,"I've seen the aftermath. Impressive."

Jefferson smiled as he he studied the box in his hand, causing Victor to get impatient with him,"Now my property."

Jefferson didn't look impressed,"Yea, here it is."

"You'll excuse me if I check." Jefferson wiped his face as he thought,'_I didn't take the heart I took your money pouch.' _Victor opened the box before quickly closing it,"It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

Rumpelstiltskin looked at him as Jefferson smiled," Oh, the pleasure was mine. Thanks to your efforts, I've made my monster. Now I do hope you'll be able to make yours."

Victor looked upset by this,"I'm not making a monster."

"Sure you're not. Good luck."

"If these hearts are as strong as you say, I won't need luck."

"They're just magic." Jefferson looked onto the two of them fighting, pouting because he was being ignored.

"No, what i'm going to accomplish goes far beyond magic."

Rumplestilskin pointed at him,"And yet you need a magical heart to do it."

Jefferson smiled as he was watching those two fight knowing that Victor was baiting a bear and Jefferson wanted him to be eaten,"So small minded, I need my powers to transcend the limitations of your magic."

"This must be quite a land you hail from if you think your abilities our more powerful."

Victor nodded,"They are."

"Care to wager? I suspect someday you'll see it my way."

"I doubt it. Now may we go?" Victor said finally acknowledging Jefferson's presence again.

Jefferson looked up at Rumplestiltskin for permission and stood up when he got a dismissive hand gesture,"Yeah."

"Careful, Dearie." Jefferson tossed his hand out dropping his hat to open the hall of doors," JUst remember, whatever it is you traffic in, it comes with a price."

VIctor looked at Jefferson smug,"We'll see."

Jefferson jumped through his hat followed by Victor a Rumplestiltskin watched Jefferson's hat disappear to the Land Without Color.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Don't own ouat. Determination is a hell of a drug.**_

Killian lead the girls up closer to the bean stalk looking up to see where it ended, Emma spoke squinting in the sunlight,"It's a little freakier then I remember from the story."

"It reminds me of death." Mulan said.

Snow tilted her head a bit to look at the bean stalk some more,"Encouraging.

"Well your compass awaits. Shall we?" Killian said rather cheerily ignoring the distasteful look from Alice.

"Wait. If these beans create portals.. Why not pick one and just go home? Why the compass?"

Alice spoke up pushing hair out of her face,"Because there aren't any more. At least not to my knowledge. If there are anymore they would be heavily guarded and unreachable without experience."

Killian continues to speak knowing the story better than Alice did,"The giants grew the beans but rather than use them for good, They used them to plunder all the lands. Jack was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, then nobody could. Its really very bad form."

Emma looked at Killian trying to get the story straight,"Evil giants who made magic portal beans? Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?"

Killian looked a little solom at this and Alice had to look away because she was going to laugh,"Because one giant survived, the strongest and most terrible of them all, and we'll have to get past him to-"

"The magic compass." Snow said with her voice unusually light.

Killian looked at Snow,"Indeed. The treasure remains and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, ALice steals the ashes from her and we're on our way."

Killian remained unaware of the hole that ALice was trying to glare through his head,"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?"

"Because you five are far safe company. All I need is a ride back. I'll swear allegiance to whomever gets me there first."

Emma and Alice looked at eachother before Emma began to speak,"Then we'd better start climbing."

"Right so, I failed to mention that the giant has put an enchantment on the beanstalk to repel intruders.

Emma began to yell at Killian,"So how do we get up there?"

"I've got a counter spell from Cora,"Killian held out his arms,"If you'd be so kind."

Snow stalked toward Killian followed by Emma, Snow began to untie Killian's ropes without breaking eye contact,"Thank you milady."

Killian pulled down his sleeve revealing a black leather band that had yellow magic surrounding it when he tapped with his knuckles,"I have another one of these so which one of you five lovelies will come with me?...Go on fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it."

Alice glared at Killian as Emma looked at him amused. Alice caught that look and rolled her eyes remembering how protective she got when it came to Jefferson.

Killian watched as Emma, Mulan, Aurora and SNow fought over who was going. Alice was sitting down trying to easy the knot in her stomach like she felt something was wrong. _"Calm down, Alice. He's alive. Grace is alive, and Jefferson's is watching over her even if he isn't with her.' _Alice pulled out a picture that was folded into her pockets, it was a drawing of grace surrounding a polaroid photo of her and Jefferson smiling.

Mulan paced in front of Snow,"With all do respect I am the best-equipped to go. How many wars have you been through?"

Snow shot back,"My share."

Aurora looked between the two of them,"It should be me."

Mulan turned on her,"You? You haven't fought in a battle."

"This is about us getting home to_ our_ loved ones. Why would you-"

"Because I have no loved ones. If I fail you can still go on."

Emma walked away from Alice who was shifting uneasily listening for any signs of danger,"It's me I'm going, and I'm not going to fail."

"You're new here."

Alice stood up putting the pictures back in her pocket,"If she wants to go let her go, SNow. She'll get the job done."

Emma looked at Alice,"Thank you. Alice, Mulan, can I talk to you both for a minute?"

Alice and Mulan nodded,"Sure."

Emma looked between the two of them,"You got anything to help me with the giant?"

Mulan pulled at a cloth bag and handed it to Emma,"Powder made from poppies, he needs to inhale it."

Emma took the bag before looking between the two of them,"How strong are your swords?"

Mulan looked at Alice,"Two of the most powerful blades in the realms."

"Are they strong enough to cut through the beanstalk?"

Alice nodded,"Of course."

"Give me ten hours. If I'm not back you cut it down and keep going."

Alice shook her head,"Emma.."

Mulan spoke voicing Alice's concerns,"Snow won't like that."

"That's why I'm asking the two of you. If I don't get back you get her home."

Mulan nodded as Alice went to walk away as Emma grabbed her arm,"If I don't get back will you watch out for Henry and them?"

Alice looked at Emma before shaking her head,"No, because you will come back, but in the small chance you don't, I will. You would do the same right? Watch out for Jefferson, Grace, and Isabelle?"

Emma nodded,"I still don't understand what you see in him."

Alice shrugged,"He's too complex to explain. He makes me smile and he makes me happy. That's all I need."

Emma nodded before walking over to Hook unzipping her sleeve and holding out her arm which he put on her shoulder,"I was hoping it'd be you. This will allow you to climb but there are other dangers. Thankfully, you've got me to protect you."

Killian held out the stump where his hook would go as Emma smiled with a look that said not gonna happen,"I can't climb one handed can I?"

Emma frowned as she riffled through the bag giving Killian his hook,"Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second."

Killian clicked his hook into place as Emma put the bag on it,"I would despair if you did."

Emma turned to walk towards the beanstalk,"Let's go."

Emma and Snow shared a look before Snow smiled sadly, Alice smiled at Emma watching her climb up the beanstalk.

Alice and Mulan put a makeshift sundial up when Emma disappeared from sight. Mulan worked on securing the stick as Alice drew little niches in the dirt marking the time.

"What is that?" Aurora asked as Mulan finished putting the stick in.

"It keeps the time." Mulan answered shortly.

"Why got somewhere to be?" Snow asked watching Alice slid her jacket off.

"We can mark watches, take turns sleeping." Mulan said, squinting as the sun got to her,"We'll most likely have to walk through the night again so we should rest while we can."

Snow nodded,"I'll take first shift."

Aurora hurriedly answered,"I'll stay up with you."

Mulan and Alice shot Aurora a confused look before nodding,"Okay."

Snow watched as Alice and Mulan receded into a shadier area,"When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't really sleep now. Not after what I've been through."

"Sleeping curse."

"The one time I slept I had horrible nightmares."Aurora said watching Alice Ball her Jacket into a pillow and put an arm over her face to block out the light.

Snow looked at her sympathetically as Alice's breathing immediately slowed and Mulan made herself comfortable,"It's a side effect. Same thing happened to me."

Aurora looked upset and quietly asked,"It did?"

Snow nodded,"Mm. I had them for months. Charming-my husband, he used to wake me. When I cried out, He'd light a candle. He said it would capture the nightmares. He'd watch over me as I fell back to sleep."

Aurora smiled,"Sounds like he lives up to his name."

"Yeah." Snow's smile fell as she remembered something,"Um, why don't you try to sleep? I'll watch over you. You'll be safe."

Aurora sagged with relief,"Thank you."

Snow watched as Aurora settled down and she looked back at the sundial worriedly, before looking back up to see if she could spot Emma on the beanstalk.

Mulan paced looking at how little time Emma had before she and Alice cut down the beanstalk. Aurora started panicking in her sleep crying out, Mulan looked over at her frightened friend as Snow woke her up. Alice came over curious about the sound after doing a perimeter check.

"Hey. Aurora?" Snow said shaking her awake,"It was just a dream. It was just a dream."

Aurora looked around her makeup starting to run as she gasp,"It was horrible."

"Why don't you tell me about it? Do you want to tell me about it?" Snow held her hands out pulling Aurora up,"Come on. Let's stand. Tell me."

Aurora stood up still gasping as Mulan and Alice watched,"It was the same as last time. I was in this room- this-this red room. It was bright. Blood-red curtains. There was no windows or doors so it didn't make sense, and I couldn't get in or out. I was trapped. The curtains- they were on fire. It was horrible."

Snow brushed hair out of Aurora's face,"It's okay."

Aurora grasped at Snow's sweater,"I was hunched in a corner, and I looked over into the other corner. In the shadows, there was someone else there. I just see his eyes. He was looking right at me."

Snow tried to calm Aurora down,"It's okay. It's over now. These nightmares, they will fade away. I promise."

"Did they for you?" Aurora asked keeping Snow's hand on her face.

"Yeah, come on." Snow sat down pulling Aurora down with her. Alice looked at the sundial seeing that Emma's time was almost up,"Come on. I'll sit with you till you fall back asleep. Who else do I have to take care of?"

Aurora sat down and gently lowered her head onto Snow's lap as Snow stroked her hair and looked at the sun to prevent tears.

Mulan and Alice looked at the sundial seeing that Emma's time was up. They pulled out their swords and ran over to the beanstalk to start cutting it down.

Snow stood waking Aurora,"What are you doing?"

Mulan started to cut through the beanstalk as Alice held them both at sword point,"Emma gave us 10 hours."

Aurora looked upset,"So you leave her there to die?"

Alice shook her head,"I'm following Emma's orders, I'm doing my job."

Alice turned and started to cut into the beanstalk along with Mulan. Alice went to swing again as Snow talked her screaming. Mulan stopped cutting for a second before continuing on. Snow slammed Alice's arms down,"I won't let you kill her."

Alice hooked her legs around Snow's thigh's flipping her onto her back, "This is what Emma wanted, okay?"

Snow grabbed Alice's arm flipping her and slamming her head against the ground,"I don't care. You do not put Emma in danger!"

Emma jumped off the beanstalk falling on her back,"Stop!"

Mulan stopped cutting the beanstalk as Snow climbed off of Alice and ran to help her daughter up,"Emma. Emma are you okay?"

Alice straightened her jacket and rubbed the back of her head wincing, as Emma shook her head trying to get her bearings,"Two earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk. I think my brain's still rattling around a little."'

Mulan and Alice stood a little farther away before looking at Snow, as Mulan spoke,"We did what she ordered, nothing more than that."

Alice continued rubbing the back of her head wincing slightly seeing Snow's outraged expression,"Did you get it?"

"Yeah," Emma said holding the compass out.

Aurora looked around,"Where's Hook?"

Emma put the compass away,"He's detained. Go, get your stuff, we got ten hours before he follows us."

Alice grabbed her sword and tapped her pants pocket making sure the pictures were still there. Snow stood talking to Emma,"What? How?"

"I got a friend looking after him till then."

Snow was out of breathe,"You told them to cut it down?"

Emma nodded,"Yes, I couldn't risk-"

Snow grabbed Emma's jacket shaking her slightly,"We go back together. That is the only way. Do you understand?"

Emma and Snow hugged,"Yeah."

"Hate to intruded on the family moment but we got to go." Alice said dusting herself off and grabbing Snow's bow and quiver,"Get the dust from Cora? I have a very beautiful husband and daughter I'd like to get back to."

Snow smiled getting her quiver and bow back from Alice as Emma laughed at her impatience,"Come on. We've got a pirate to outrun."

_**(Line break)**_

Henry was sleeping and woke up screaming startling Jefferson who was sleeping on the couch and Grace who was using her father's chest as a pillow. Jefferson made Grace go back to sleep as he followed David into Henry's room.

David stood next to Henry's bed as Jefferson waited in the doorway,"Henry? Are you okay?"

Jefferson watched as David lit a candle before heading back to the couch making sure Grace was tucked in and over hearing David and Henry's conversation,"A candle?"

"Yeah, they keep the nightmares away. Now what was so bad?"

"I w-I was in this room, and…. And it was red. And there was no doors, no windows, and these curtains, they were on fire. And I was in the corner." Henry spoke out of breath and upset.

Jefferson looked at Grace who was currently curled around one of the pillows Jefferson grabbed from ALice and Aasiyah's apartment, Jefferson heard david's low voice,"Right."

"And-and-and-and I was looking up, and there was someone else there. She was staring at me through the flames, th-then I woke up and-"

"Hey, don't worry. All right? It was just a bad dream." David waited with Henry till he calmed down enough to go back to sleep. David walked out seeing Jefferson awake and staring off into the distance.

David looked at Jefferson,"Any luck?"

Jefferson shook his head,"No, but if they got to your castle and to the wardrobe, I don't know if it works, you'd have to ask the blue fairy, but they might have been able to get through it that way."

"Then wouldn't they be back by now?" David asked.

Jefferson turned his head to look at David,"Logically yes, but if they ran into someone who was bad news, a pirate, a bandit or an ogre? It may take a while longer, but I'm confident they'll find away back."

"How can you be so sure?"

Jefferson smiled widely,"Alice is determined and extremely intelligent she grew up around warriors, and hung out with adventurers like me. Snow is confident enough to take on two heads in power with not a very convincing army, and Emma is determined enough to go against Regina for the hell of it, the only other people I know who did that were me and Alice. And you saw how that turned out."

Jefferson gestured to Grace, as David spoke,"Then why comfort her after Daniel?"

Jefferson hesitated for a second before answering,"I'm an opportunistic ass. I saw an opportunity and I took it."

David looked appalled,"Why?"

"If I do something for her, she may do something from me." Jefferson said his voice emotionless and flat,"You should get some sleep. I'll ponder more and see if I can find anything out."

David started to walk back up the stairs,"Goodnight, Jefferson."

"Night, David."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Don't own ouat.**_

David and Jefferson hopped in the car and sped to the mines. David walked down to where the dwarves were gathered and shone a flashlight inside,"Where is he?"

Happy used his pick ax to help point him to the hole that currently held the other dwarves as he looked up at something on the ceiling. Leroy smiled as they had found the diamonds that were used to make fairy dust. Jefferson slid through the hole first helping Henry, Grace, and the blue fairy in, Henry spoke as Jefferson and David shone flashlights on the roof of the cave"Are those?"

Mother Superior was looking up awestruck,"Diamonds. They're back. The magic that brought them back."

Jefferson ignored the tightening in his chest as Henry spoke,"You mean like the kind that become fairydust?"

"Indeed. We just need to refine them, grind them up. Do you still have the remains of the hat?"

Jefferson nodded feeling Grace slip her hand into his allowed him to speak his voice low and wavering to the people who knew him well,"Yes."

David took the hat out of Henry's bag, tearing some of the fabric slightly,"You look this up. Keep it safe, because by this time tomorrow, We'll have enough magic dust to make it work again."

"So Mary Margaret, ALice and Emma?"

Jefferson smiled,"That's right kid this time tomorrow, you'll get your mom back."

Grace looked up at her father,"Mama's coming back to right."

Jefferson watched his daughter's serious gaze before nodding,"Uh-huh, and knowing Alice? She wouldn't let anything stop her from coming back to us."

Jefferson clinked glasses with David as the dwarves were celebrating and cheering reminding Jefferson of all the nights he spent in shady bars watching celebrations but rarely partaking"To the dwarves!"

Ruby smiled as the dwarves and David celebrated, her and Aasiyah brought food out for Henry and Grace, Henry who was watching the party and Grace with her head in a copy of _Scourge of the Sword,_ in action fantasy novel which took place in a zombie apocalypse setting, It was an old book Belle gave her in the library.

Ruby went to clean up some food when she got stopped by the mechanic Billy, they talked for a bit before Belle interrupted their conversation and helped Ruby let Billy down gently, Ruby walked away from Belle confused which made her shoot a confused look at Aasiyah who was talking with Jefferson, Aasiyah looked up at Belle and shrugged then continued to doodle on the napkin next to her as Jefferson stood up and went to sit next to Grace,"Henry, are you drinking coffee?"

Henry looked at David and tried to be convincing,"No."

"Still worried about those nightmares?"Henry nodded as David continued to speak,"Well don't be. Because when you go to sleep tonight, I'm going to be right in the next room."

Henry smiled and passed the coffee towards Jefferson,"Now maybe lose the java and go grab a cocoa."

Jefferson tapped the back of Grace's book,"Ciocolată caldă?"_** (He asks if she wants hot Chocolate, and Taran which is used later is a Romanian slur that's like calling someone a redneck)**_

Grace looked at her father before nodding and following Henry, as a man took their place. Jefferson recognized King George and judging by David's reaction, they were not good friends,"Congratulations, Sheriff. Quite a celebration."

David growled at King George,"What are you doing here?"

"You may have taken care of me in the old world, but in this one we get another go at each other." King george said making Jefferson a little uneasy.

David squared his jaw,"Whenever you're ready."

"It's a big moment for the both of you, isn't it?" George said for the first time acknowledging Jefferson getting a dirty angry look in return,"On the way to getting your families back."

"Yeah, it must be hard for you, you know, watching good win."

George laughed,"Good? So sure of yourself. But I know the truth. You're still just a shepard pretending to be a prince, and some Taran bastard pretending to be a hero. You aren't fit to run this town or a kingdom."

David leaned forward as Jefferson set his jaw and glared at George,"I think the people of Storybrooke might disagree with you."

George looked around at Grace who was flipping through Aasiyah's sketchbook with Henry while they waited for their hot chocolate,"Today. But I'm going to see to it that they see thing my way, that they see the two of you for who you really are. By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you killed me when you had the chance."

David stood up,"Oh, the people of this town know who I really am, and they've seen me defeat you before. So if you want to try and take me down, They'll see it again."

David picked up his drinking and made a mocking gesture, as Jefferson slid out after him leaning in George's ear before whispering,"Us gypsies have ways to get what we want. Last time we met that was me doing a job with my skills alone and I was in a pretty good mood. Piss me off see what happens."

Jefferson and David walked into Granny's kitchen seeing her welding and Ruby looking at concerned and upset. Granny lifted up the welder's helmet and looked at the three of them,"Almost done. Let's finish clearing out those perishables."

Jefferson looked confused as Ruby marched past him grabbing the rest of the lasagnas in the walk-in freezer,"What's going on?"

"We're making a cage." Ruby said pulling out the lasagna's setting them on the table,"Know anybody who might want 38 frozen Lasagnas?"

David furrowed his brow as he held the door open,"What?"

Granny looked amused,"I know. Nobody would believe it if you told them my lasagna was frozen."

"No why are you building a cage?" Jefferson looked at one of the piles of lasagna as Ruby headed back toward Granny.

"Tonight's the first full moon since the curse broke. It's the first night of wolfstime."

"I thought you figured out how to control the wolf in you ages ago." David said looking at Ruby confused.

Jefferson looked up,"You're a vârcolac? A werewolf?"

Ruby nodded noting that Jefferson's tone held no animosity, just interest and curiosity mixed with concern for her safety, as that's who he was,"Yes, but thanks to the curse I haven't turned in 28 years. I might be rusty. I can't let what happened last time- what happened to Peter- Happen to anyone else."

"What about your red hood? That could keep you from turning."

Ruby seemed a little irritated by this,"If I had it. I've looked everywhere. I even went to Gold. It's not in town. I don't think it came over with the curse."  
"Ruby, I know you. I trust you. SNow trusted you. Wolfstime or not, you won't hurt anyone tonight."

"Maybe, but I can't afford to take any chances." Ruby walked into the freezer as Jefferson stopped her.

"Would it put your mind at ease if I kept an eye out for it?" Jefferson noted Ruby's confused look,"I used to retrieve things for a living. I'll look out for your hood."

Ruby nodded as she walked all the way into the freezer sharing a sad look with Granny as she was shut in.

_**(Time skip)**_

Jefferson followed Granny into the woods watching as she used her sense of smell to track Ruby down,"This way. Over here. Ruby! Ruby, wake up."

Granny knelt down next to Ruby's sleeping as she woke up her panic quickly setting in,"where am I? What happened?"

David helped pick her up as Jefferson brushed her off,"You're in the forest. You must have fallen asleep here last night."

Ruby pulled her arm away from David,"I don't understand. You put me in that cage. You locked me up."

Granny looked at David as Jefferson stepped back to give Ruby space,"The freezer was torn to shreds when I came to check in on you this morning."

Ruby's face became horrified as David went to comfort her,"Ruby, Ruby. It's all right."

Ruby twisted her arms out of David's grip,"No. It's not. I don't remember anything from last night. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Oh, my God. Did I do something last night?"

Jefferson shook his head,"No, all that we know you did is tear up the freezer. Nothing bad happened."

David's phone rang and he went to answer it, Jefferson and Granny trying to calm down Ruby's anxiety over doing something bad,"Sheriff. Yeah. Okay. I'll be right there."

Ruby looked at David visibly upset,"What is it?"

"Somebody left their car double-parked in front of the cannery. I gotta go check it out on our way back into town. Hey. Relax. Everything's gonna be okay."

Granny nodded at Ruby easing her feelings of unease.

David pulled up to the cannery as Ruby recognized the truck of the mechanic she was talking to last night,"That's Billy's truck."

David climbed out of the car,"Great. Who do I call to tow a tow truck?"

RUby's face soured as she smelled something unfamiliar and gross, like something beginning to rot,"Ruby. What is it? What's wrong?"

Ruby's voice wavered,"I smell blood."

Jefferson and David moved around trying to find the owner of the tow truck, David opened the door as Jefferson moved closer to the cannery, hearing Granny speak,"Here."

Jefferson and David walked over to where Granny was standing seeing half of Billy's body on the ground underneath the truck with a puddle of blood surrounding it as Ruby started to scream as she saw the other half of Billy stuck upside down in the red storage bin,"OH! IT WAS THE WOLF! IT WAS ME!"

Ruby started sobbing as Jefferson pulled her into a hug and turned her around so she couldn't look at Billy's body anymore. Jefferson met the concerned eyes of David and Granny and tried to calm down the hysterical girl in his arms.

"It had to be something else, Ruby." David said as Ruby was calmed down enough to stop screaming.

"No, I did this! We both know it."

David shook her head,"No. A few months ago, everyone thought Mary Margaret was guilty of murder. She needed someone to believe in her. I didn't do that. I am not gonna make the same mistake with you."

Ruby had tears running down her face,"Mary Margaret never killed anyone."

Jefferson cleared his throat,"We have company."

David held his hand out,"It's okay. I'll protect her."

"No, lock me up. If the freezer couldn't hold me maybe a jail cell will. I don't need to be protected from other people, David. Other people need to be protected from me."When RUby finished talking Granny led her away leaving Jefferson and David to converse.

"Do you think she did it?" David asked looking at the easy Jefferson leaned on the hood of a car after seeing a mutilated body.

"Circumstantially? Yes, all the evidence points to that. Gut feeling and honestly? No, It's a little too coincidental for my tastes." Jefferson crossed his arms and shrugged,"But what do I know? I'm just the crazy guy who lives in a mansion."

David looked at Jefferson with a side eye,"Uh-huh."

_**(Police station.)**_

David shut the door on Ruby locking it,"You'll be safe here tonight."

Ruby looked up at him,"Thank you, David."

David tossed the keys up and opened a drawer to put them away,"You can thank me in the morning. By then, I'll have found whoever really killed Billy."

George was followed in by Jefferson who was growling something about Regina,"You already have. That thing. That she-wolf."

David slammed the draw as Jefferson squared his shoulders ready to toss George out if need be,"Get out. Whatever issues you have with me don't involve her. There's no proof Ruby had anything to do with what happened."

"It seems to me that you're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgement."

Ruby stood up her chains rattling as Jefferson was ready to shoulder George out and wanted to tell him where he could stick his opinion,"Leave him alone."

"Protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else."

Jefferson drew his lips back into a sneer,"The only one I see here in danger is you."

"It was only a matter of time before you slipped up shepard."

"What do you want?" David asked.

"Justice." George said shooting icy looks at Jefferson who shot him a smile befitting a lunatic and David who stood his ground,"Hand it over to me and let the town decide her fate."

"Never. I know exactly what kind of justice you have in mind."

"This town is bigger than you think. I start telling people that you're putting their lives in danger to protect your own interests, you'll have a mutiny on your hands."

David stepped closer to George,"Yeah, we'll see. You want her, you have to go through me."

George's voice was low, if it wasn't for the fact that Jefferson was right behind David he wouldn't have heard him,"I look forward to that."

Jefferson and David looked over at Ruby who looked down upset over what George had said.

_**(Line break)**_

Ruby tugged on the chains after her and Jefferson looped them around the pole,"These should work."

David looked at Belle who walked in smiling at Jefferson and getting a wave from Aasiyah,"Thanks for letting her hide here. The sheriff's station isn't safe."

"Of course. It's, uh, It's not everyday you find out your friend's -"

"A monster?" Ruby asked getting a sharp glare from Aasiyah.

"Hunted, I was going to say hunted." Belle said.

""Crowd's six blocks from here." Granny supplied.

"And they have guns,"Aasiyah tilted her head a bit,"It's gaing people to."

"You both have wolf hearing?"

Aasiyah shook her head,"Granny does, I don't."

"The only way we're gonna get the mob to stand down is if we prove that Ruby didn't have anything to do with Billy's death."

"And how exactly are we supposed to figure that out?" Jefferson supplied as Aasiyah tried to focus on the noises of the mob trying to figure out what they were saying.

David pointed to Granny,"I'm gonna need your help. Can you three stay here? If the mob come this way call us."

Jefferson nodded as Aasiyah flashed out of the library for a second and came back a few seconds later shaking her head.

_**(line break)**_

"You three should go, the full moon is almost up." Ruby said coming out of the bathroom.

"Will the chains hold?" Belle asked.

"Most likely," Jefferson said looking through a book.

Aasiyah smiled,"Think of it as a sleepover."

Jefferson looked up and sarcastically said,"Oh, goodie. Are we going to braid each others hair and talk about boys?"

Aasiyah glared at Jefferson her purple eyes narrowing to slits, as Ruby picked up the chains making Jefferson look at Ruby,"I know David wants to believe the best, but everybody in this town has a right to be afraid of me."

Belle spoke as Ruby clutched the chains to her chest,"We're not."

Ruby backed up,"You _should _be."

Belle looked at her as Jefferson put the book down,"No matter what you've might of done in the past, David sees the good in you, and….. And that tells me one thing."

"What?"

"That it's in there. So if we can all see it why can't you?"

"You really think so?"

"Trust me. I'm sort of an expert when it comes to rehabilitation."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe you're all right." Ruby said hugging Belle as Aasiyah hugged the both of them and Jefferson stood off to the side pretending that his shoes were the most interesting thing in the world before coming ang hugging Ruby.

Ruby locked the three of them to the pole using a pair of handcuffs David left as he ran out"But the town is right too. I am a monster and that's why I need to make sure, I don't hurt anyone again."

"No. No. Wh-what are you doing?" Belle said as Jefferson began to tug on the thick chain experimentally.

"I can't let you stop me. The mob wants a wolf. I'm gonna give them one. I need to pay for all I've done." Ruby said her voice barely wavering.

Belle looked shocked,"They'll kill you."

"Isn't that what I deserve?" Ruby said before walking out.

Jefferson tugged at the chain a bit more before looking at Aasiyah,"Could you go after her?"

Belle looked at the two of them confused as Aasiyah flickered out of existence for a few second before reappearing three feet away,"Yep. Gonna go save one of my best friends."

Jefferson looked at the piece of metal braceleting his wrist before yelling,"If you find David tell him where we are."

_**(line break)**_

Aasiyah heard Ruby howl as she caught Ruby's scent feeling her magic crackle and pop as she shifted into a black panther roughly eight feet long. Aasiyah retracted her claws and was thankful for her dark fur as she silently stalked through the town tracking Ruby seeing her cornered because or the mob. Aasiyah jumped down landing in front of George as Granny shot the gun out of his hand, Aasiyah took the chance of distraction grabbing George's leg with her mouth biting down hard enough to feel bones in his leg break, George screamed as Aasiyah yanked him down and pinned him with her paws not enough weight to hurt him but enough to keep him still. It also helped that she had her teeth bared at his throat and was snarling at anyone who came near.

David yelled,"Ruby!"

Aasiyah didn't growl at him when he passed but roared and knocked down the pitch fork that was aimed at her, the loudness of her roar sent a wince through the crowd as she bared her teeth at King George's throat with his blood dripping off her jaw.

David stood in front of Aasiyah,"Ruby didn't kill Billy, King george did. He stole her cloak and killed him in cold blood to make it look like a wolf, all to get you to think I wasn't leading this town as I should."

Ruby snarled and made Aasiyah tense her muscles as she was ready to pounce on the mob if need be, the mob surged forward and David put out his hands blocking the three of them,"Hold up! Somebody already died because of what this man did. Let's not spill more blood. She won't hurt anyone. She's just scared."

David turned as Aasiyah began to draw King George back farther from the mob as David went to go give Ruby her cloak,"Ruby?"

Ruby growled at David blinking her bright yellow as as she got in a defensive position to attack him if necessary,"I know you're in there, so listen to me. It was Spencer, not you. Don't let him trick you into thinking you're a monster. "

Ruby lowered her body into the ground and snapped at David as he held out her cloak,"All right. All right. Poor choice of words. Please. Ruby. I know you. I know the real you and I know you _can_ control the wolf."

RUby slowly calmed down and backed up allowing David to wrap her cloak around her, George struggled to get away so Aasiyah sunk her teeth back to his leg and began to slowly drag him towards David so he could be arrested. George snarled at Aasiyah as he started laughing through the pain of being drug around by his leg.

"It doesn't matter if you killed me anyway. I burned it." George said smiling.

David overheard this and looked at George, Ruby coming up behind him,"The hat. I burned it. Now you lost everything."

Aasiyah burned with fury as she tightened her grip on his leg and jerked her head sideways making him scream in pain.

"Someone call Dr. Whale!" Someone in the mob shouted.

A few minutes later Dr. Whale showed up accompanied by Mother Superior, Dr Whale kneeled next to George's leg and gently pushed Aasiyah on the shoulder to let her know she was in the way, Aasiyah snarled at Victor,"You need to let him go. You can kill him later. Now let me do my job and try to save his life."

Aasiyah changed back blood staining her chin red as she stood in her heels and looked like someone more dangerous than she already was, She looked at Dr. WHale before snarling,"He's barely worth the effort of killing."

Aasiyah stalked off back towards the library so she could break the news to Jefferson, Ruby and David caught up with her,"You were the panther?"

Aasiyah nodded,"Now if you'll excuse me I have to go break some news to my brother-in-law."

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson looked up as Aasiyah walked in, angry as her shows were making noise, and with blood on her chin, He stood up and walked as close to her as possible,"Who's blood is that?"

Aasiyah waved his hand off her,"Jefferson, the hat's gone. King George burned it."

Jefferson's blue eyes widened as he slowly sank to his knees and had his hand covering his face as silent tears slipped down his cheeks, Aasiyah curled into him and buried her face in his shoulder as the both silently cried.

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson looked at Aasiyah before shaking Grace awake,"Papa? Is Mama?"

Jefferson shook his head as Aasiyah crawled onto Grace's bed,"A very bad man burned the hat. So as of right now, we have no way to get her back through this side."

Grace wrapped her arms around her dad tightly burying her face into his chest as she whimpered,"You'll get her back though."

Aasiyah shifted into a panther and curled around them as Jefferson rubbed calming circles into Grace's back,"I promise, my dear, I promise."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Don't own ouat.**_

Emma held out a picture of Henry,"Is this the boy you saw?"

Aurora took the photo,"Yes that's Henry."

"That's impossible."Emma whispered.

"Uh, not necessarily." Alice said trying to remember some of the stories her mother told her,"The likelihood of two people having the same exact dream is pretty high, but my mother once told me that when you go under a sleeping curse, you're stuck between life and death. So when you wake up you come back to the world of the living but you when you sleep your mind has the possibility of going back to that netherworld."

Aurora nodded as Snow spoke,"It would make sense, I've been through it, Henry's been through it, and so has Aurora."

Emma looked at Aurora as she stood up,"What else did Henry say?"

"He just said his name and then I woke up, and it was over."

Snow looked at Emma,"Emma, it's going to be okay."

Emma looked back at Snow,"We are so far from okay."

Alice nodded,"No, we're not okay but now we have a way to talk with David, we can let him know of Cora's plans."

"Yes! And we have a way home now." Snow replied.

"We have a compass, and the wardrobe ashes are still with Cora."

"Any attempt to steal from her would be suicide." Mulan said looking up from the fire.

"Not anymore, we can stop her." Snow said confidently.

"How?" Mulan asked.

Alice's eyes widened slightly,"Rumplestiltskin, right? That's your big plan?"

Snow nodded,"He defeated her once before."

"We could talk to him through Henry." Emma looked at Aurora who backed up slightly.

"Wait, wait." Aurora said looking around for someone to defend her.

"Oh yeah princess, You're going back to sleep." Emma said her voice filled with determination.

_**(forgot to update yesterday oops.)**_

Henry shot up in bed,"They're alive."

Jefferson startled awake with David and Regina, as David spoke,"Who's alive?"

Henry looked at David, as Grace appeared behind her father,"Alice, my mom and Mary Margaret."

Jefferson smiled at Grace and hugged her, as David got excited,"I told you, kid. I told ya."

Regina leaned forward and looked at Henry,"Was it that woman you saw? Did she tell you that?"

"Her name is Aurora, they have a way back but someone is in there way. Someone they need us to help them stop, Someone only Mr. Gold knows how to defeat."

Regina looked at Henry,"Who?"

Henry looked at Jefferson who unconsciously placed himself in front of Grace,"Your mother."

Jefferson stiffened and blanched, the dark hues of his clothing and dark brown hair made him look paler than a sheet, like he was washed out of color,"Dumnezeu să aibă milă de noi. Ea ne va sacrifica toate." _**(God have mercy on us. She will slaughter us all.)**_

David looked at Jefferson who was frozen, while Grace pulled on his sleeve to get his attention,"Papa?"

Jefferson looked at his daughter and was trying to mask the traumatised and fearful look in his eyes,"I'm fine, micuţo, I'm fine."

Regina's face smoothed out to not show any emotions as Jefferson was trying to reassure his daughter and David was looking between the two of them confused, because he heard stories but didn't, hasn't dealt with her firsthand. He didn't know the mental strain Jefferson went through just to survive and Jefferson was pretty sure David didn't know how Daniel died. He didn't know but he had a hunch that if Cora could rattle the two of them, just by mentioning her name she was a force to be reckoned with.

_**(Line break. I feel like I failed I missed a day of updating)**_

"How close are we? Henry could already be waiting in that netherworld." Emma said stumbling slightly.

"No, we planned to meet back there in two hours." Aurora replied firmly.

Snow smiled,"You are not going to leave him waiting."

"Yeah, but what if he-" Emma started.

"No, he was fine." Aurora said putting Emma's mind at easy.

"Up, there. It's safer we'd be able to see an attack or ambush better." Alice said before grabbing Aurora's arm and whispering in her ear,"When you go see Henry, can you do me a favor? Ask about Jefferson and Grace?"

Aurora looked at Alice, who showed worry, before nodding,"Of course I can do that. Is Jefferson your husband?"

Alice smiled softly and nodded, as Mary Margaret spoke,"Well set up camp there. Aurora, you'll settle in and find Henry, get the information we need from Rumplestilskin. We do this fast, in and out. It's still dangerous out here."

_**(Line break. Badassery is a word it's an adjective.)**_

Regina came in and held a blue quilt looking blanket in her arms,"I brought your blanket from your bedroom back home."

Regina covered Henry with it and tucked him in as Jefferson mumbled under his breath,"When she's like this you could almost mistake her for a human being."

Henry looked up at Regina,"Thanks. So Cora she's pretty powerful?"

Jefferson stiffened at the Queen of Hearts name as Rumplestiltskin spoke moving towards the chair by Henry's bed,"Yes, but, uh, not as powerful as I am."

Regina scoffed,"Debatable."

"No, it isn't."Jefferson said softly getting looks from Regina and Rumplestiltskin,"She's powerful yes but, she can't feel anything except a need for power. Love, happiness, remorse, she can't feel any of that. The reason some of us who dealt with her personally are still alive because she wasn't nished using us."

Jefferson inhaled deeply as he continued,"She used me cause she thought I could replicate my hat, I can't use magic, so I tried until the curse got me out. When you left me in Wonderland, let's just say, it wasn't a tea party."

Jefferson expression held no vulnerability as he was stating facts he wasn't reliving anything painful, Regina looked at him something in her eyes, a feeling that Jefferson couldn't describe and he hated it.

David moved and sat on the edge of Henry's bed,"You sure you're okay to do this kid?"

Henry's voice was final and Jefferson could see how much Emma's influenced changed him,"I was born to do this. I'm done reading about heroes. I wanna be one."

"Well, sometimes being one is knowing when not to run into the fire." David said trying to talk sense into Henry.

"I'll be okay."

Rumplestiltskin spoke breaking the mildly tense moment,"Look, whatever he faces in there will be far less dangerous than what he'll face if we fail."

Henry nodded,"I can do this."

David sighed and went to go stand by Jefferson who was tapping out a piano piece on his thigh,"Get on with it, fast."

Rumplestiltskin sat in the chair next to Henry's bed,"All right, Henry, Just relax and soon, you're gonna drift off."

"What do I tell them?"

"Just listen to my bed time story and all will be clear. Once upon a time, Snow White and Prince Charming needed to stun a very powerful magician long enough to lock him up in a dark dungeon." Rumplestiltskin started putting his hand on Henry's forehead.

"That was you." Henry said opening his eyes," They used Cinderella to trap you with a magic quill."

Rumplestiltskin pulled his hand over Henry's face putting him to sleep,"Yes, indeed, a quill. And yet, it wasn't the quill itself but the _ink_ that captured the dark one, harvested from the rarest species of squid-"

"Wait so you have all this magic at your disposal, and you get bested by a squid?" Jefferson said his voice colored with disbelief.

Rumplestiltskin ignored him and continued on with his story,"Harvested from the bottom of a bottomless ocean, impossible to get unless you're a mermaid… or me. I happen to have a private supply. In my jail, cell that is where they will find it."

_**(lovely line break. My legs hurt. 10k's are not recommended when you have the motivation of a potato)**_

Alice leaned on a tree with her pictures of Grace and Jefferson out, she was looking at them thinking when Snow walked towards her snapping her out of her revelry,"What are those?"

Alice folded the pictures and put them into her pocket,"Nothing."

Snow looked at her softly,"It's okay if you miss them, I miss David."

Alice's relaxed expression became guarded,"No offense Snow, but you don't really know how I feel at the moment."

Snow was about to respond when a snapping tree branch made everyone's, who was awake, heads shoot up. Snow gripped her bow a little tighter, Mulan brace for action ready to grab Aurora and shake her awake if necessary, Alice pressed herself into the tree as she tried to find the location of the sound with Emma. Aurora was shaken by Mulan as Alice pulled out her sword and sank it into the shoulder of one of those things, zombies, soulless monsters. Snow shot one in the eye with her bow as Mulan cut another down. Emma stabbed one with her dagger as they tried to clear a path so they could escape.

"Any ideas how to kill these things?" Emma asked.

"None," Snow replied before yelling,"Mulan!"  
Alice looked over to where Mulan should have been her blade covered in sludgy blood,"We gotta run. Emma, Snow. Come one!"

Alice ran slipping her sword into the sheath feeling mildly grossed out as she felt the blood dripp through her pants sticking to her skin. THe three of them ran through the forest occasionally stumbling till they were sure they lost them,"You still in one piece?"  
Snow nodded as Alice spoke,"Could be worse. They could have a warrant for our execution."

Emma slowed down and looked at Snow and Alice making sure they were all okay when she heard rustling. Snow drew her bow up and aimed it at the noise seeing Mulan stumble out and hold her hands up in surrender and looked extremely upset,"They took her. Aurora's gone."

_**(Line break)**_

Henry jerked himself awake drawing attention away from Jefferson who was giving both David and Regina the silent treatment, David slid next to Henry's side as Rumpelstiltskin looked surprised,"Henry, are you alright? Did you see her? Did you tell her?"

Henry groaned,"No something happened. I was trying to tell her and then she got sucked up by something."

Henry groaned and grabbed his arm as Regina lifted up his sleeve to see his arm burned from the side of his palm to his elbow,"Henry?"

David and Regina looked concerned as Rumpelstiltskin looked on contemplatively and Jefferson narrowed his eyes at the burn.

_**(Line break)**_

A crow cawed and landed on Snow's shoulder, Mulan drew her sword warily as the crow kept cawing,"Wait!"

"What the hell was that?" Emma said looking confused as the crow flew away.

"Cora, she says we have until sundown to give her the compass if we don't… she kill Aurora."

Mulan moved forward as Emma held the compass in her hand,"Give it to me."

Emma pulled the compass towards her and stepped back as Alice went between the,"Wait a minute, we need to discuss a rational way to go about this.

Snow nodded,"We need a plan to get Aurora and keep the compass."

Mulan spoke,"My vow to Phillip was to protect Aurora. That promise is all that's left of him, so it shall be done."

Mulan went forward to grab the compass out of Emma's hand when she was blocked by Alice, Snow decided to be the voice of reason and speak,"Give us a few hours, please. If we haven't defeated Cora by then, you could have the compass."

Mulan looked furious at this,"You can't hope to defeat her. We no longer have access to The Dark One's assistance."

Snow looked around uneasily,"Yes we do."

"How? Aurora's gone."

"Aurora isn't the only one who's been under a sleeping curse. I can go back to that netherworld." Snow said ignoring the looks from Emma and Mulan.

Mulan looked confused,"The door to that place is closed. You said it yourself."

"There may be a way. A way for me to go back into a deep slumber, one that can let me access it again."

Alice looked up,"You need poppy seeds."

Mulan looked surprised,"The poppy plant is extremely rare in this kingdom, but I know of a place that may grow some more.. It's a bit of a journey from here."

Snow looked determined,"Can we make it by sundown?"

Mulan nodded as Emma spoke,"We have to hurry."

_**(Line break)**_

Regina put a compress on to the burn on Henry's arm,as Rumpelstiltskin put his hand up,"Here let me."

Rumplestiltskin healed Henry and Regina spoke looking at Jefferson accusingly,"What caused this?"

Rumpelstiltskin spoke drawing attention from the portal jumper,"When you venture deeper into the Netherworld instead of away, there are risks. Someone woke Aurora before her soul was ready to return. The violence of that act tour her away and injured Henry. We're lucky it wasn't worse. He's going to need sometime to recover before he can be sent back."

Jefferson was silent as Regina and David protested loudly. Jefferson cleared his throat,"Isn't this Henry's decision?"

Regina whirled on Jefferson, her voice tight with anger,"I don't think some who couldn't keep a promise to his daughter can really speak at the moment."

Jefferson narrowed his eyes,"I never had to resort to using magic or kidnapping mine for her to like me."

Regina stepped closer to Jefferson, boiling with anger,"I swear to god if you don't-"

Jefferson raised an eyebrow,"What are you going to do? Hit me? Trust me, luv, you can't do anything that hasn't already been done to me."

David looked up,"Put me under."

Jefferson looked up from Regina losing interest with her,"What?"  
"Put me under, I can be in the netherworld instead of Henry and I'll meet Snow. She'll kiss me and wake me up."

Jefferson blinked at him once,"And this will work because?"

"It just will."David said ignoring the look of loathing Jefferson sent him,"I've spent far too much time looking for my wife."

Rumpelstiltskin raised a hand preventing whatever protests Jefferson had prepared,"Well than, I guess we have our answer."

_**(Jefferson calls people luv as an insult)**_

Alice and Mulan hacked a pathway through the dense brush, the path was narrow and rough but it would work,"We just crest this ridge, then we'll be in the forest of the dead the last of the poppies have taken seed there."

Snow and Emma nodded as ALice and Mulan continued to walk forward as Emma stopped SNow who was dreading going back into the netherworld,"Hey you okay? You look nervous."

"I'm fine." Snow said dismissively.

Emma blocked Snow from walking forward,"What's the netherworld like? How bad is it?"

Snow looked hesitant,"It's like you're, um….. lost, drifting in the dark, no one to talk to, nothing to do except think of all the people you love and how you'll never see them again."

Emma looked upset,"Henry was lost in that dark, too, because of me."

Snow looked appalled by this,"What are you talking about?"

"He tried so hard to convince me I was the savior."

"Stop it. Nobody would've believed Henry's stories."

"But his mother should have."

Snow got a determined look in her eye,"Okay, you wanna play the blame game? If I had told Cora about Regina's true love, Cora never would have killed him, Regina wouldn't want revenge, the curse never would have happened. We could spend all day trying to figure out why each of us should feel guilty, but it will not help us get home."

Emma looked unsure,"You really think we're gonna make it back?"

Snow smiled,"Of course. We have a madman whose wife is with us, and David looking for us, we will get back Emma I swear. Now it's time for me to go back to sleep."

Snow stepped off of the little cliff and started to jog so she could catch up to Alice and Mulan who started to grind the poppy seeds into powder.

"Regina." Emma said causing Snow to stop and look at her.

"What?" Snow asked looking at her daughter confused.

"Regina, that's who we should blame." Emma said her voice cold and angry.

_**(Line break)**_

"It should be me." Jefferson said crossing his arms his voice defiant.

Rumpelstiltskin barely looked up from his spinning wheel,"David is doing it, Jefferson, now quit protesting."

"Alice is there, and-" Jefferson started knowing his voice sounded whiny but he didn't care not when it came to her.

"But it isn't Alice who will be in the netherworld. I understand how much you love her, but we have no idea how the curse will hold with your mental state." The way Rumpelstiltskin spoke reminded David of a parent whose child was being difficult and the parent was trying to make them see reason with being condescending.

"So you're saying I can't do it because I'm crazy?" Jefferson's voice was quiet and held no accusations.

"No, with you being a portal jumper, you may retain enough consciousness for it not to take place and the dark curse didn't work on you either. You being crazy has nothing to do with it." Rumpelstiltskin said spinning the wheel slowly.

Jefferson was quiet for a moment before he looked at David his voice unguarded and vulnerable making him seem younger than he was,"You'll ask about her? Make sure she's okay, right?"

David looked put off by the question and the way Jefferson addressed him, a mild accent slipping through not the polished words with an accent you couldn't place or sounded to vague to be identifiable,"Yes of course."

Henry and Regina walked back into the room and David notice the way Jefferson's body language went from relaxed and loose to guarded and ready to run if necessary.

"We will be doing this the old fashioned way." Rumpelstiltskin said turning so he could walk around the spinning wheel.

David looked confused,"What do you mean the old fashioned way?"

Rumpelstiltskin spun the wheel a little slowly,"You're about to join a very distinguished club Mr. Nolan. Before such innovations as the apple, back when the sleeping curse first came to be, a more direct method was required, through blood. By pricking one's finger on the needle of a spinning wheel, one falls under the spell. Your majesty, you did his wife, I'm sure you'd like the honors."

Regina walked forward slowly and took the spinning needle from Rumplestiltskin, and dipped it into the bright blue water of the sleeping curse watching the first three inches of the needle turn yellow as it absorbed the magic before turning back to silver. Regina slid the needle back into its place before looking at David,"It's all yours."

Henry hugged David before he pricked his finger,"Good luck."

David looked down at Henry,"Hey, it will be alright."

Henry looked up at David,"How do you know?"

David crouched down so he could be at eye level with Henry,"The same way you had faith, that Emma would save you when you were under the sleeping curse, I have faith."

Henry slid the necklace off his neck and onto David's,"It helps control the flames in the room. It'll keep you safe."

David smiled sadly,"I'll guard it with my life."

_**(line break)**_

Mulan ground up the poppy seeds into bright red dust as Snow wrapped the scarf around herself as Alice balled up her jacket and offered as a pillow which Snow didn't want so Alice put it back on before leaning over,"Could you ask Henry about Grace and Jefferson?"

Snow looked up a little surprised as Alice never mentioned them by name unless forced,"Yes of course."

Alice nodded as Mulan began to speak,"The powder's nearly ready."

Snow made herself comfortably and asked,"How long will the effects last?"

"It's difficult to say. Maybe an hour or much less."

"Well I shouldn't need much time, as long as Henry's in there when I am."

Emma offered her hand out to Snow as Alice moved to lean on a tree so she could watch the perimeter,"I'll be right here, you have nothing to worry about. Say hi to Henry for me."

Snow nodded before settling in further and grabbing Emma's hand. Snow nodded to Mulan as she approached and blew the poppy dust into Snow's face putting her to sleep.

_**(Line break)**_

David looked down at the spinning wheel nervously as Rumpelstiltskin spun it again this time with force, the squeaking noise that it made set Jefferson on edge as he was so used to it being quiet when it spun.

"When I awake I'll be in that fiery room?" David asked before touching the needle.

"Not exactly, that room is where people have been under the sleeping curse before go. You, however, are going under for the very first time."

David scoffed,"Then how will I know where to go? How the hell am I supposed to find a room with no door?"

Jefferson spoke up his vague indescribable accent coming back,"Make one."

Jefferson ignored the look David shot him and retreated back into his head where it was calmer, harder for Regina to hurt him. He watched passively as David stuck his finger on the needle and stared at it drowsily before tipping over onto the bed unconscious.

"Jefferson, could you?" Rumpelstiltskin said gesturing to David's unconscious body that was half on the bed half off.

"Yeah." Jefferson walked over to where David was asleep and push him fully onto the bed,"Now what?"

"Now, dearie, we wait." Rumpelstiltskin said looking at David's unconscious form.

_**(One-dimensional pause)**_

Henry stood above David's comatose form seeing that shattered necklace as he tried to wake David up,"Come on. Come back. Should he be in there so long?"

Regina had a knot in her stomach as she tried to stop Henry's panic,"I'm sure it's fine. I imagine they're just catching up."

Regina glanced at Rumpelstiltskin and Jefferson who shook his head when he saw what Regina wanted him to do.

_**(How do you make water holy? You boil the hell out of it.)**_

Snow white jerked awake startling Alice and Emma as she lunged toward the rock looking for more powder, Alice pulled her up as Emma spoke,"What are you looking for?"

"More powder. He's all alone. David, he underwent a sleeping curse so he could see me. I have to get back there's only one way to help him."

Alice went to let Snow go so she could calm down, as Snow wrapped her hands around her upper arms trapping her there,"He thought true love's kiss would free him but we weren't actually there. We have to go back."

Alice nodded and looked at Snow searching her eyes,"Did you get the information we needed? And about Jefferson and Grace?"

Snow slowed down enough to process Alice's calm diplomatic words that seemed to ease the anxiety that was crippling Snow,"They're fine. They're together with Isabelle and they're helping us get home and we need to go to Rumpelstiltskin's jail cell, he has what we need to defeat Cora there."

Alice glanced around,"Where's Mulan?"

Emma checked her pockets and her bag,"And the compass."

Alice took off back toward the compass and chased after Mulan knowing she was heading back to the village. Alice only turned around to make sure Emma and Snow were following, she kept going as fast as possible retracing their footsteps. Alice spotted Mulan and Snow drew her bow and nocked an arrow aiming a warning shot at Mulan, Snow let the arrow fly and was satisfied as it buried itself in a tree missing Mulan by a few inches. Mulan gasped and froze as Snow nocked another arrow and spoke,"That was a warning shot. Try to run, and I promise the next one won't be."

Mulan looked over her shoulder,"How did you find me?"

"I know a thing or two about tracking."

Emma soke,"All we want it the compass."

Mulan drew her sword and was blocked by a deflect from Alice, she dropped and kicked Mulan's knees out from under her, Mulan was knocked on her back by this and put her hands up in surrender as Alice pinned her down with a knee to the chest and a sword to the throat."Just give us the compass."

Mulan grunted,"And seal Aurora's fate."

Alice pushed a little more weight into her knee making it harder for Mulan to breath,"We learned how to overpower Cora. Once we get what we need, we will defeat her, and Aurora will be free."

Mulan struggled for breath a bit,"Another journey, just as I predicted there would be. Our best chance to save Aurora is to make that trade now."

"Not gonna happen." Alice growled,"Like hell i'm letting some psychotic whore with a thing for lopping people's heads off near my family, near my husband ever again. So give me the compass before I take it from you."

"Than I hope you're prepared to take it." Mulan said her eyes as impassive as steel.

Alice set her face in a mask of determination and was about to knock Mulan unconscious when Aurora's voice rang out,"Stop!"

Aurora came into the clearing as Emma looked surprised and spoke,"Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you get here?"

Aurora looked down at Mulan and Alice who were looking at her in disbelief,"Let Mulan go."

Alice slid off of Mulan and pulled her up, offering a hand,"We okay?"

Mulan looked at her before taking her hand hesitantly clasping above the wrist before giving a good jerk,"You did what you had to do. Chopping off heads really?"

Alice nodded wearily,"My husband has the scar to prove it."

Mulan looked at Alice who looked disgusted by the fact that she could chop peoples heads off and they would survive,"Psychotic, indeed."

"Hook helped me escape he said he wanted to prove to Emma that you could've defeated Cora together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help, I think he may care for you." Aurora said sweetly ignoring the looks of disbelief that were going on between Snow, Alice, and Emma,"Did you find a way to stop Cora? WHere are we going?"

Emma dropped the compass handing it to Alice,"Rumplestiltskin's cell."

Alice took the compass and slid the chain around her neck sliding the actual compass into her tanktop knowing it would be better protected as you would have to break the chain and/or pull the compass out of her top considering the waistcoat secured it against her stomach well and her jacket was zipped halfway up.

Aurora smiled and nodded,"Great, then lead the way."


	21. tis another flash back

Jefferson woke up feeling soft fabric blanket him, softer than the worn quilt he most often shared with Alice, definitely softer than the sandpaper blanket his slept on recently. The only time he felt a blanket this soft is when he lived at Dragonstone with Alice. Jefferson reflexively reached his arm out to the other side of the bed expecting it to connect with the warm body of his wife, his heart sinking when he remembered what happened to her. The other side of the bed was ice cold like no one has been there for a long time. Jefferson opened his eyes and gasped as the breath was knocked out of him. He remembered memories that weren't his, they couldn't be his, a man who was lonely and rich, a man who lost everything, a wife who left him and a daughter who he couldn't have contact with because he didn't know where she was because they gave her up. Jefferson tried to slow his rapid breathing as he tried to orient himself in a dark luxuriously furnished home. Jefferson sat up feeling the the silk pyjama bottoms he was wearing as he sat up and walked to the bedroom's window pulling back the dark iridescent curtain looking out onto the road, it was paved in a smooth version of the grey stuff that paved Victor's roads and carriages he didn't recognize. Jefferson looked outside straight ahead and did a quick calculation realizing that he was on the second floor overlooking the road. Jefferson walked down the stairs seeing Regina in his? foyer.

Jefferson watched as Regina walked around his living room and twanged an instrument, a bass he remembered they were called. Jefferson cleared his throat causing Regina to jump and turn around clutching her heart.

"Adrian, you scared me."

Jefferson scowled,"Cut the shit, 'Gina why are we here?"

Regina cocked her head,"You remember? What's your name?"

Jefferson snarled,"You know my name, now answer my question. Why. Are. We. Here?"

Regina took a step back as she looked at Jefferson realizing just by staring at his shirtless form that he could seriously hurt her if he wanted to. Regina stared at him before slowly taking a step forward looking at a red scar that circled his neck,"Jefferson, what happened to you?"

Regina reached out to touch his neck and gasped in surprised when Jefferson locked her arm in a vice grip preventing her from touching him,"You know what happened. You caused this. When you separated me from Grace… the Queen of Hearts did this to me. So, was it worth it?"

Regina pulled something out of her jacket and watched as recognition flashed across Jefferson's features and she held the picture of Alice just out of Jefferson's reach,"Yes, I got my happy ending. That's all that matters. I cast a curse and it brought us here."

Jefferson's hand froze by Regina's throat,"And Grace? My Grace? Where is she?"

Regina pulled her wrist from Jefferson's grip and gestured to him to follow her,"Here."

Jefferson watched as Regina pointed at the telescope allowing him to look through seeing her with the neighbors Michael and Anastasia. Jefferson turned around so quickly Regina was startled as she was slammed into the wall next to the telescope,"What is she doing there?"

Regina gasped,"I held up my end of the deal now get off me."

Jefferson pretended to mull it off before looking at her his blue eyes crazed but serious,"Hmm, better not. I like having you here. Can't cause trouble."

Regina held the picture to Jefferson's flesh, which caught his attention and he dropped Regina grabbing the picture and holding it close to him,"Jefferson."

Jefferson held the picture closer to his chest and scooted toward the wall withdrawing on himself as he whispered,"Just go. Regina, just go."

_**(I'm writing Jefferson as not really crazy he just seems that way but he's so erratic because he's coming back from the shit that happened to him in wonderland)**_

Regina walked outside the room Jefferson was in hearing him panic and sob over his "dead" wife. Regina knew her hoax wouldn't last long if Jefferson remembered and if any part of Alice remembered Jefferson or was even a little rebellious.

Regina held her breath hearing Jefferson whimper Alice's name and a litany of apologies about not keeping Grace safe. She vividly remembered the desperate way Jefferson screamed when he realized he was being double crossed. It was the same look Alice had on her face when she realized when Regina wasn't kidding about killing Jefferson and Grace.

Regina walked out of Jefferson's mansion remembering the eccentric thief who comforted her after Daniel, and who would smile at any pretty thing that paid attention to him, man or woman, it didn't really matter, and compared him to the man she just left and realized the stark difference was that while the old Jefferson was comfortable and prefered being alone, while this new Jefferson, was someone who's had his whole world taken from him in the span of a year and was left alone in a land he didn't belong doing who knows what.

Regina set her jaw and drew her jacket closer around her as she thought,'_Time to meet an old friend.'_

_**(Just a little knowledge. Alice is 27 when the curse is enacted/broken and Jefferson is 28. So when Jefferson gets stuck in Wonderland he's 26 and when he loses Alice he's 25 and Alice is 24. Grace is also the same age as Henry when the curse breaks so they're both 10. If I said this before I'm sorry I thought this was important info.)**_

Regina knocked on the principal's office hearing Alice's accented voice speak,"Come in."

Regina saw Alice look up from her paperwork briefly to see who came in before her brown eyes flickered back down to her paperwork,"Madame Mayor, always a pleasure to see you."

Regina looked at the name tag on her desk,"Ms. Kingsleigh, may I ask you something?"

Alice, no Alexandra her mind supplied helpfully, looked up setting her pen down,"Sure, what do you need?"

Regina looked at her studiously,"Do you know anyone named Jefferson?"

Alexandra furrowed her brow and frowned,"No, should I?"

"No, just curious." Regina said looking at the photo of Alexandra and a girl with dark hair and purple clever eyes,"If that changes you'll let me know?"

Alex was invested once again in her paperwork and waved her hand dismissively as she absently said,"Yeah, if that ever happens."

_**(this would be after Kurt and Owen left)**_

Jefferson woke up in his bed hearing a bang in the living room. Jefferson walked down the stairs seeing Regina looking through his books. Jefferson smiled and spoke leaning against the door,"What's wrong, luv?"

Regina set the book down and looked at Jefferson warily,"Can we speak?"

"We can, but…" Jefferson looked at Regina curiously, before sitting on his couch,"Sit down. What's wrong?"

Regina sat down across from him,"Everyone is doing what I want."

Jefferson frowned,"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"No I wanted them to do it because they wanted to, not because they're forced to."

Jefferson looked thoughtful for a moment,"You can't have everything. Can't you get happy this way? You seemed pretty happy with the little-"

Regina growled at him,"Don't."

Jefferson held his hands up,"Well Regina, what do you want me to do?"

Regina sighed,"I don't know. Do you know why Rumple didn't remember?"

Jefferson looked shocked by this information,"He doesn't remember? Well, I guess, my theory is that it takes people's happiness away… mine would be forgetting and I don't know why you'd remember…. That way you could enjoy your happiness?"

Regina sat back," I guess that makes sense. How are you feeling?"

Jefferson smiled largely and snorted,"We're not friends, you aren't privy to that information."

"Jefferson-"

Jefferson stood up,"If you could show yourself the door."

Regina scowled watching Jefferson retreat back upstairs and flinching when a door slammed closed. Regina looked around at Jefferson's living room it looked barely touched minus the two books that were on his table. It was the house of someone who didn't want to be in here. In this house. In this realm. These were the actions of a man who was going to spiral or was already starting to spiral. Regina looked back up the stairs hoping she could see anything, when she couldn't she tugged the scarf around herself and headed out the door so she could run her town.


	22. beware! another flashback

Alice stumbled against Jefferson, the wind cutting through her leather dress. Jefferson turned around around and looked at her, hearing her gasp when the terrain shifted underfoot,"Alice? Are you okay?"

Alice pressed a hand to her stomach and nodded,"I just slipped. I'm alright."

Jefferson slid his hand on to her stomach before taking off his hat and turning around,"Let me carry you?"

Alice looked at the back of Jefferson's head surprised,"I'm not an invalid. I can walk."

Jefferson sighed before looking over at Alice over his shoulder,"I know, but this way you don't get hurt. Let me do this for you."

Alice glanced down at her husband seeing the unrelenting stubbornness across his features,"Alright. I know when I won't win. You want me to hold your hat?"

Jefferson nodded as Alice wrapped her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Jefferson put his hands on her legs to help stabilize her and reduce the chance of her slipping, he leaned forward feeling his hat bounce against his chest as Alice's weight readjusted,"What do you think of the name Ana? It means grace."

Alice had her head buried between her arm and Jefferson's neck feeling the cool leather against her face,"Hmm?"  
"A name for our baby, if it's a girl." Jefferson said a little hesitantly.

Alice smiled,"What about Grace? Never liked the name Ana."

Jefferson tilted his head mulling it over,"Grace Targaryen? Middle name?"

Alice hummed for a second,"Family name?"

Jefferson stiffened jostling Alice apologizing when he heard her noise of protest,"I don't want my family anywhere near you or our child."

Alice squeezed her arms against Jefferson hoping to give him a small bit of comfort,"What about Daenerys? It's a family name. She won the Iron Throne for my family, she's the mother of dragons, and the mother of the stallion who mounted the world."

Jefferson looked down to watch his footing as he hummed in agreement,"Grace Daenerys Targaryen, I like it. It's got some bite to it."

"And if it's a boy?" Alice asked as she was set down and Jefferson pulled a silver amulet with a compass stamped into it out of his shirt and off his neck as he leaned above Alice.

"Indulge me? Give me your hand."

Alice put Jefferson's hat in her lap and held her hand with her palm turned upward,"Why?"

Jefferson smiled,"My cousin gave me this and told me that it could tell the gender of my firstborn even before they were conceived-"

Alice raised an eyebrow,"Little late for that."

Jefferson rolled his eyes,"Can I tell my story?"

Alice let a smile light up her face,"If you must."

Jefferson grinned,"I must. So the amulet, if it swings North to South, it's a boy. East to West, a girl. Indulge me?"

Alice held out her hand flatter as Jefferson steadied it and watched as Jefferson held the amulet above her hand as it slowly began to left to right. Jefferson looked up at Alice a smile stretching across his face as he scooped Alice into his arms laughing as she shrieked in surprised and laughed as she was spun around. Jefferson set her down,"Do you wanna see why I brought you here?"

Alice brushed hair out of her face,"Of course, why must you ask?"

Jefferson began to lead Alice to a dark cave,"It's called being polite. Now how about dinner?"

Alice hummed happily as Jefferson set his jacket on the ground and sat Alice on the ground and pulled food out of his satchel, apples, some cheese half a loaf of bread and some chocolate, he would have brought more but he wasn't sure what Alice could eat without getting sick and he didn't want her to be miserable on this trip. Alice started to dole out the apples and split up the chocolate between them as Jefferson made the sandwiches. Alice took hers and started to eat as Jefferson pulled her into his side and buried his face into her hair as she started to eat.

"So, why are we here?"Alice said as Jefferson started to eat basically shoving the sandwich into his mouth.

Jefferson swallowed and looked to the mouth of the cave as it darkened outside,"Just wait."

Alice looked around the cave skeptically as the cave slowly began to light up like stars bathing the two of them in a dim blue light and washing the color out of Jefferson's vibrant blue eyes,"This is breathtaking. What is it?"

"I'm not sure, but there's a myth and I'm paraphrasing a bit so bare with me." Jefferson said as Alice looked around the cave her brown eyes reflecting blue at Jefferson,"A long time ago there was this young girl and where she was the cloud and forest cover was so thick that she couldn't see the stars. So each night before she went to bed she prayed and wished to see the stars like the adventurers would talk about. She did this for months on end until one day her mother asked her to get some water from the river as they were running low. There was a large rainstorm as she started to walk to the river, the storm was so large that it ruined the pathways to the river which couldn't have been more than two hours away. When she reached where she thought the river was found that she was in front of a cave and as the rain was still coming down she decided to wait in the cave until the storm stopped. When she went in, she went deep enough to be able to see the mouth of the cave without getting wet and for the first time she saw stars."

Alice had the face that she always did when Jefferson told his stories. Alice rested her head against Jefferson's shoulder as he kissed her forehead,"Get some sleep, darling, you need it."

Alice cuddled into Jefferson making a protest as Jefferson pulled her into his lap. Alice closed her eyes and rested her head against Jefferson's neck hearing his heartbeat as he began to hum a lullaby.


	23. Chapter 23

_**(Yeah Alice doesn't use her magic. It's there if she needs it but she can't use it anymore so pretend like the whole magic thing is dormant)**_

"Rumplestiltskin's cell, I haven't been here since before Regina's curse was enacted." Snow said looking around as Mulan, Alice, and Aurora went into the cell to look for the ink,"This is where he told us you would be the savior."

Emma looked at Snow shocked,"He knew?"

Snow whispered,"Oh, it was prophesied. Come on."

Aurora spoke her voice loud so it could carry,"The squid ink, it's not here."

"Gold said we would find it." Snow said.

"Wait, we need to stop thinking like regular people and start thinking like Gold." Alice said holding her hands up,"Look for anything that could have been written on too."

Emma spoke her voice dry,"Let me guess Jefferson told you?"

Alice exhaled,"No, have you met Rumple? You need to be smart enough or a good enough strategist to follow how Rumple thinks."

Emma frowned and glared at Alice as she started to search for a piece of paper or vial that might have held the squid ink, Aurora walked over to them,"I think I found it. He wrote a message for you."

Emma looked up as Alice stopped her search and came over to see what was on the paper,"Why would you think that?"

Aurora handed Emma the paper,"Look."

Emma unrolled the scroll fully showing that the message was her name written over and over again taking up all of the space on the 2 foot paper. Snow and Alice looked at each other questioningly as Emma looked up ahead like she wanted to pass out.

Emma sat down looking at the scroll as everyone else looked the squid ink,"What does this even mean?"

Snow looked up from the rock she was currently trying to climb as she looked for a way out,"He was obsessed with you, Emma. You were the key to breaking the curse."

Aurora stood up and looked back at Snow,"There is no squid ink. We've looked everywhere."  
Alice looked up from where she was standing on top of some rocks in the corner of the cell,"What if the scroll is the squid ink?"

Mulan held up an empty vial,"She maybe right, it's not here anymore."

Snow came to look at what Mulan was holding as Alice hopped off the wall and Aurora threw a bag at the winch making the door drop as Cora appeared on the other side. Emma shook the gate as Alice walked to the door her eyes narrowing. Cora waved her hand as Alice felt the compass leave her, Emma shook the door harder as Alice stopped herself from reaching out to it,"DOn't waste your energy, Rumpelstiltskin himself couldn't escape from this cell. Thank you, Aurora. We couldn't have done it without you."

Alice looked horrified as Emma and Snow turned on her,"How could you do this?"

Alice stepped between the three of them as Cora spoke her hand tight around the compass,"Don't blame her, she was only doing what she was told."

Cora held up Aurora's heart as Emma looked shocked and Alice looked indifferent as if she seen it a million times before,"You took her heart?"

Cora ignored the question and squeezed the heart making Aurora cough and gasp,"Doesn't matter. Storybrooke awaits."

Alice watched on as her face became stony and cold as Hook walked away following Cora, she glance at Snow and Mulan who was holding up Aurora,"Now what?"

_**(line break)**_

Ruby stormed into the back of the pawn shop,"Where are they? Regina and Gold?"

Jefferson looked up from where he was standing listening to Henry read and watching Grace color a drawing Aasiyah completed a while ago, Jefferson spoke his head cocked questioningly,"You missed them they left… about ten minutes ago. Why?"

Leroy glared at Jefferson as if he had something to do with it,"They took all the magic from the mines, after our shift. Nobody steals from a dwarf."

Jefferson made an apprehensive noise while shrugging,"Well…."

Leroy looked at Jefferson questioningly as Henry and Grace looked up horrified,"If they're not helping Alice, Emma, and Mary Margaret, that…that means my mom lied to me."

Jefferson spoke as realisation slowly set in,"Kid, I'd relax you're hardly the first pers-. Le-ar condamna la cele mai adânci gropi ale iadului."_**(Damn them to the deepest pits of hell)**_

Jefferson looked at Grace, Henry, and Ruby hesitantly,"Come on, I think I know where they are."

_**(Line break)**_

Emma swung Snow's sword repeatedly against the gated doorway adding on to Alice's pounding headache. Snow walked towards Emma,"Emma stop, this cell was enchanted to hold Rumpelstiltskin there is no way you're getting out."

Aurora mumbled something that only Mulan could hear,"This isn't your fault. It's mine, Cora only took your heart because I failed to protect you."

Emma looked up as Snow sat by her,"No it's mine. I'm the savior and I haven't done much saving. All I've done is break the curse and that was exactly what Gold wanted me to do. I had nothing to do with it."

Snow looked confused as she tried to process everything, Alice had her scabbard in her lap and was tracing one of the dragons that was cut into it as she listened to Emma talk,"What are you talking about?"

"He told you I was the savior. It was his plan. Once I fulfilled that role, maybe that was all I was ever meant to do. Everything I've ever done- he had it all mapped out before I was even born. I'm not powerful. I'm- I'm not…. a savior. I'm a name on a piece of paper. I'm a pawn, and that's exactly why we are in here… and Cora's on her way to Storybrooke."

Snow looked at the scroll in her hand and stood up unrolling it and catching Alice's attention,"I think I might have a way out.

Alice looked at Snow buckling her weapons belt,"How?"

"When I was a little girl I would sneak into Cora's room and watch her do magic and she had this spell book, the spells where in the book."

Emma looked at the two of them confused,"Isn't that what a spell book is, a book with spells in it?"

Snow nodded and blew on the paper watching as Emma's name flew off the paper and into the gateway opening it,"See? Squid ink, you were right Alice."

Alice made an indifferent noise,"Usually am."

Snow grabbed her sword, bow and quiver before heading out everyone but Aurora leaving, Alice looked at Aurora as she protested,"Wait. I can't go. You have to tie me up."

Mulan turned around,"No, I'm not leaving without you."

Aurora shook her head,"I can't be trusted, not as long as Cora has my heart."

Mulan looked back at Snow and Emma who shared a look as Alice began to search for rope,"Then I will get it back for you."

Alice found some rope and handed it to Mulan as she began to tie Aurora up, Aurora looked up at Snow,"Good luck."

Snow looked down a little sadly,"Thank you. Good luck to you."

_**(Line break)**_

Snow shot the compass out of Cora's hand. Cora looked up in shock as Emma raced around the platform narrowly avoiding the fireball that was deflected by Alice and Mulan,"Go grab the compass!"

Snow fired another arrow off at Cora as Mulan and Alice try to distract her. Alice and Mulan's blades met when COra disappeared, knocking the brown satchel that held Aurora's heart over the spinning portal. Killian bent backwards using Emma as a counterbalance so he didn't fall in, he extended his hook and grabbed the bag using it's strap. Killian stood up straight and tossed Mulan the heart,"I may be a pirate but I bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart, unless it's over me."

Alice looked at Mulan as Snow shot another arrow at Cora,"Go! Aurora needs her heart."

Mulan nodded and Started to run back toward Aurora's cell. Alice swung around deflecting a fireball as Cora whistled and mimed the motion for making it again causing Alice to flinch. Emma was knocked onto her back by Hook and showed him the compass before knocking him unconscious with it.

Alice swung again taking advantage of Cora's distraction cutting her deeply on her stomach. Cora disappeared in dark blue smoke as Emma walked over to Alice and Snow,"Are you ready to go home?"

Alice nodded and put her hand on the compass followed by Snow,"Don't let go of the compass, just think of Storybrooke and we'll be fine. 1, 2, 3, Jump!"

The three of them jumped into the portal the sound deafening because of the rushing water and wind.

_**(Line break)**_

Jefferson followed Henry and Grace as he followed them with Ruby. Jefferson pulled Grace toward him as he recognized when Rumple and Regina were doing magic, Henry walked up closer to his mother as he spoke his voice shaky,"Mom? You're not helping them, are you?"

Regina got closer to Henry,"I'm helping _you_, Henry."

Henry looked at Regina confused,"What are you talking about?"

Jefferson's eyes widened as he pushed Grace behind him, Ruby rushed forward,"You're going to kill them."

Rumplestiltskin threw his hand up and knocked Ruby unconscious as Jefferson protested and Henry looked from Ruby's body to Regina,"Mom, what are you doing?"

Jefferson held his hand back trying to keep Grace from seeing,"Regina, you'll kill them."

Jefferson shot a pleading look at Rumple which he ignored as Jefferson begged,"Rumpelstiltskin please."

Regina looked at Jefferson pleading or as close as he got with Rumple, Regina waved her hand and slammed a bolt of magic into Jefferson causing him to start to cough up blood, Regina pointed back toward the well as Grace was pushed away from her father who was coughing up blood into his hand,"We can't let Cora come through the portal. You have no idea what she would do to us."

Henry looked at his mother sternly,"Emma, Alice, and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her. They're the ones that are gonna come through."

Rumpelstiltskin looked between Henry and Jefferson,"Henry, your mother's right. It's gonna be Cora."

Henry protested as Jefferson staggered up causing Rumplestiltskin to support him as he gasped,"It…. won't….be….. her. Trust... me."

Jefferson sank back to the ground lowered by Rumple as Regina looked at Henry,"Please, mom, for me."

Regina looked conflicted as she started to dissipate the magic in the well,"Alright."

Rumple protested but took advantage of Regina distractions to heal Jefferson's internal injuries making him stop coughing up blood. Jefferson nodded at Rumple and kneeled wiping one of his hands on his pants and pulling Grace close. Regina went spread eagle because of the magic that look like green lighting pushed her away causing her to stumble. Henry rushed forward to see if Alice, Emma, and Snow came out of okay. Henry started to cry when he didn't see the three of them come out of the well. Grace turned and buried her head into her papa's shoulders as he rubbed her back and conforted her. Jefferson blinked tears out of his eyes as he saw a pale hand come up from in the well as Emma pulled herself up, followed by Mary Margaret. Alice pulled herself up last looking at Jefferson who whispered something into Grace's ear causing her to turn around and run into Alice's arms.

Alice pulled Grace close as Jefferson looked on unable to find the strength to stand,"Oh Grace, darling. You're safe."

Grace unlocked from her mother's side and held her hand as Alice went up to Jefferson kissing him, tasting blood on his lips causing her to pull away,"Hatter? What happened to you?"

Jefferson laughed awkwardly and wrapped his bloody hand around her preventing her from seeing it,"Long story?"

Alice shook her head and stood up offering her hand out to Jefferson,"Can you stand?"

Jefferson stood up shakily and began to lean on Alice wrapping his bloody hand around her. Jefferson looked at Rumple as he started to walk away making his voice as loud as possible,"Rumplestiltskin thank you."

Rumple turned around and looked at the both of them,"Consider it payment for Belle."

Alice looked up at Jefferson as Rumple began to walk away,"Belle?"

Jefferson smiled and kissed Alice again,"It's a long story."

Alice rolled her eyes,"Those are the best kind."

Alice started to walk supporting Jefferson as Emma, Henry and Regina joined them trying to catch up to Snow and Ruby,"Look Jefferson-"

Regina was cut off by Jefferson,"Look you screwed us over to many times for you apologizes to be worth anything to me."

Regina looked shocked at the finality in Jefferson's voice,"Alright then."

_**(line break. I have been hallucinating the whole time I wrote this chapter apologizes if it doesn't make sense. Daor means no in high Valyrian. Jalan atthirari anni means moon of my life.)**_

Jefferson walked into the back of Rumplestiltskin's pawn shop and pulled Alice close to him as David was revived. Jefferson kept an arm around Alice pantomimed playing a piano piece on her arm as David and Snow kissed and spoke to each other. Jefferson leaned down and whispered into Alice's ear,"I may be stupid, but I ain't that stupid."

Alice stifled a laugh and rested her head on Jefferson's sternum,"Daor, you just do other dumb shit."

Jefferson looked down at Alice,"You wouldn't have me any other way, jalan atthirari anni."

Alice smiled at the way Jefferson stumbled over the Dothraki pet name,"You're right. I wouldn't take you any other way, Hatter."

Jefferson pressed a kiss to Alice's temple as Ruby spoke,"How about dinner at Granny's? On me?"

Alice raised an eyebrow and looked at Jefferson before looking at Grace who standing next to Henry in front of Snow and David, Emma spoke her voice tired,"As long as it's not Chimera, I'm in."

Henry walked under Emma's arm as she pulled him close. Alice picked Grace up and was pulled along by Jefferson,"Do you know what sounds good after food? A nap."

Jefferson laughed, a loud boisterous sound,"What is the likelihood of me joining?"

Alice shook her head,"Not bloody likely, you will be sleeping on the couch and I will take your bed."

Jefferson looked at his wife in disbelief,"Uh-huh, let's go eat. I'm starving."

_**(I translate before the phrase is used or after, whichever comes sooner because when I read fanfiction that has other languages, it's easier for me, at least, because I know what the words mean.)**_


	24. Chapter 24

Jefferson looked at Alice who was smiling at David who was adamantly telling a story while Grace and Henry looked like they both wanted to go sleep, and Jefferson couldn't blame them considering how emotionally exhausting today was. Jefferson waved Alice over, awkwardly standing apart from Emma's family. Alice came over and wrapped her hands around Jefferson's waist,"What's wrong, Jefferson?"

Jefferson gestured to Grace who was leaning on Aasiyah,"I think if we wait any longer Grace won't survive the drive home."

Alice looked over at Grace,"Yes that would be

best. Your place or mine?"

Jefferson looked taken aback at the question,"Mine. My bed is great."

Alice looked at Jefferson and snorted,"Alright, you're disgusting."

Jefferson shrugged,"I'm also 28 and a man, you're also very beautiful."

Jefferson leaned in for a kiss and Alice held a hand over his lips,"Not so fast, Hatter. Keep it in your pants."

Jefferson rolled his eyes and his voice was mumbled as Alice's hand blocked his mouth,"You never complained before."

Alice scoffed,"We should get going."

Jefferson smiled and watched as Alice went to say goodbye to Emma as he picked Grace up from Aasiyah. Grace clung tightly to Jefferson's neck as Alice joined them and they headed home.

(In Jefferson's bedroom)

Alice fell on to the bed and moaned grabbing the pillow as Jefferson sank into the bed next to her,"Why did you ever leave this bed?"

Jefferson smiled and untied his scarf revealing the scar and the bruises that Daniel left on his neck,"I found a beautiful girl I'd rather enjoy it with."

Alice looked up her brown eyes widening when they settled on Jefferson's neck,"What happened to your neck?"

Jefferson froze and pulled the scarf off his neck not meeting Alice's eyes,"Nothing, you should get some sleep."

Alice sat up and pushed Jefferson's head up so she could get a better look at his neck,"You're doing it again."

Jefferson didn't meet Alice's eyes,"What again?"

Alice gently ran her fingers over Jefferson's neck feeling him stiffen and swallow,"Were you avoid a question by deflecting. You only do that when you lie to me. What happened? Really?"

Jefferson held one of Alice's hands over his heart,"Remember the story I told you about Daniel? Regina's fiancé?"

Alice leaned on Jefferson,"Vaguely. She wanted to bring him back and you brought Victor to her, the both of you took the heart she gave you and didn't bring Daniel back breaking her heart."

Jefferson nodded,"Regina brought him here and some hearts, they're in her family mausoleum. Victor stole a heart and his body and brought him back, but Daniel got violent tore off Victor's arm, than he went to the stables and attacked me."

Alice's eyes widened in concern,"What were you doing in the stables?"

Jefferson looked nervous,"Henry wanted to learn how to become a knight and Grace wanted to ride horses and I know how important that is to you."

Alice smiled a little worriedly,"Because of my family's traditions. I am glad that you all are safe."

Jefferson tilted Alice's face so they were eye to eye,"Now that we got that cleared up, no more tears. How about some sleep?"

Alice leaned into Jefferson"Maybe get out of clothes we've both probably been sleeping in for the past three days."

Jefferson grinned,"Fair enough."

Alice rolled her eyes and shrugged off her clothes stripping down to her pale blue bra and underwear. Jefferson glanced and saw a burn scar on her shoulder,"That's new."

Alice looked at where Jefferson was looking,"Our favorite evil queen thought a reminder would be best. It's more of a brand then a burn…. Don't apologize."

Jefferson pulled back the comforter and frowned,"It's a shame you know me so well."

Alice fell into bed and cuddled into Jefferson,"I know you just as well as you know me."

Jefferson kissed Alice's cheek and wrapped his arms around her,"Damn right."

(Jefferson/Neal/Victor/Killian brotp would be the ouat version of the marauders from Harry Potter)

Jefferson couldn't breathe, his desperate screams echoing in his ears. He looked around and saw Alice's body there limp and lifeless. Jefferson felt his body grow cold as he saw a few feet away, Grace not breathing.

Jefferson couldn't run to their bodies his feet felt trapped like when Regina used her magic to trick him. The cold feeling that wrapped around his shoes, it felt like walking through the thick mud that was by the river of his childhood home, the black stuff that got everywhere and would make shoes unwearable and caravans sink when they passed through the river too heavy. Jefferson screamed in pain, desperate, gut wrenching. The pain and panic he felt he never wanted to feel again not for a very very long time. He heard his name echo as he was shaken awake.

Jefferson jerked awake and saw Alice hovering over him her blonde hair acting as a curtain,"Jefferson?"

Jefferson moved quickly and pulled Alice close to him squeezed her tightly, causing Alice to make a noise in surprise as Jefferson buried his head in her neck, whimpering quietly.

"Hatter? What's wrong? You were screaming."

Jefferson pulled away looking at Alice, distress evident in his features,"I...I dunno...bad dream?"

Alice pulled away from Jefferson and held his face,"What's wrong?"

"Bad dream…. One of the worse ones."

Alice frowned at the simple heartbroken way Jefferson spoke,"Let's go back to bed. We protect each other, remember? Even when it's from ourselves."

Jefferson nodded and ran a hand through his hair as Alice pushed him down on the bed and put her head on Jefferson's chest and wrapping her arms around him. Jefferson put his hand on her hip and started to trace circles into it, he felt safer with Alice's weight on his chest as he knew she was there.

Alice's breathing slowed as she went back to sleep. Jefferson stared up at his ceiling feeling sleep come over him feeling a lot more relaxed than he had in a long long time.

(Yo soy line break)

Jefferson groaned as the phone rang breaking him out of one of the best night of sleep he's got. He reached around blindly for the phone not bothering to check caller ID.

"'Lo?" Jefferson grunted rubbing his eyes as Alice stirred grunting unhappily as she looked blearily at Jefferson.

"Hey Jefferson." Emma started to speak a little awkwardly clearly expecting someone else on the phone.

Alice raised herself looking at the phone in Jefferson's hand a little accusingly, Jefferson shrugged and continued,"Hey Emma, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come to Granny's tonight for the welcome back party."

Jefferson looked at Alice,"Yeah we'll see if we can make it. Is that all you needed?"

Emma sighed like it was taking a lot of effort to do this,"Look I'm sorry about everything I did, calling you crazy and everything, hitting you in the head with a telescope."

Jefferson smiled as Alice climbed out of bed causing him to make a noise of protest,"No problem, well placed hit by the way. And I'm sorry too."

"Most people wouldn't be congratulating someone who hit them in the head with a telescope."

Jefferson laughed,"Most people aren't me and weren't tossed around recently by a dead man. We'll see you later tonight, Emma. Good bye."

The line clicked and Jefferson tossed the phone back on the nightstand as he heard the water in the shower turn on. Jefferson opened the closet door seeing his wardrobe, well the cursed his wardrobe. And what he always assumed to be the cursed his wife's wardrobe, Jefferson would bet that those clothes matched Alice perfectly. Jefferson slid on a pair of black slacks and a black button up with a dark grey filigree pattern, he tied the grey winter scarf around his neck hiding the bruises and scar. He heard the shower stop and Alice walked out drying her hair with a fluffy towel wrapped around her.

"You spoil me." Alice said wrapping her arms around Jefferson's shoulders.

"It's my job." Jefferson said looking at her smiling. He gestured to the woman's clothes,"Those clothes should fit you."

"So was this from the cursed you?" Alice asked flipping through the clothes.

"Yeah the curse me's wife. I don't know, when has magic ever been linear?"

Alice made a noise,"Fair enough."

Alice slid on an azure blue dress with a revealing neckline she slid on a pair of gold and red high heels and looked at Jefferson,"What?"

"We have a party to go to tonight."

"And I was thinking we could show the people across the Jade Sea how the people in Westeros eat, or I could make something from my childhood."

Alice looked thoughtful for a minute,"Do you think you could manage a blood pie?"

Jefferson grinned widely,"Never underestimate me, we could also make lemon cakes or tarts?"

Alice flinched at the mention of the dessert,"No to the tarts."

Jefferson looked at Alice,"Good point. So the pie?"

Alice nodded, "if you could recreate it, I would love you even more than I do."

"Is that even possible?"

"We could find out?" Alice kissed Jefferson,"I'll go wake Grace up? And you'll start making breakfast then I'll join you."

Jefferson lips quirked up,"Yes. Anha zhilak yera norethaan, jalan atthirari anni."

Alice grinned at Jefferson's messy speech,"Iubirea vieții mele, my heart is yours."

(Line break, skip to the party. Jefferson says I love you completely, moon of my life. Alice says Love of my life.)

Jefferson stood off to the side chatting with Dr. Whale quietly as the room started to cheer when Snow, Emma, Henry and Charming walked in. Aasiyah waved to Snow as Ruby nearly tackled her. David walked into the front of the room and tapped the glass,"I'd like all of you guys to raise a glass and join me in a toast. Me and Snow have a saying that will always find each other, I'd like you all to join me in a toast, here's to not having to look for a while."

Jefferson smiled into his glass as Alice raised hers, laughter ran throughout the room stopping when the door opened and Regina stepped through, Alice pushed Grace behind her and walked to the front of the group her eyes narrowing,"What are you doing here?"

Regina looked at Alice shocked,"Emma invited me."

Alice clenched her fist as Jefferson appeared right behind her, grabbing her arm and whispering in her ear,"As much as I'd love to see Regina hit, now is not the time."

Alice looked conflicted at this then looked up at Jefferson and leaned into him slightly,"Fine, I am nothing if not patient."

Regina walked away and put her cobbler on the counter as David and Snow cornered Emma, Jefferson and Alice walked over, glancing over their shoulders periodically at Grace, Snow spoke,"You invited her?"

Emma nodded,"We're celebrating today because of Regina. She helped us get home. No matter what she did in the past. We owe her our thanks now."

Jefferson made a noise, and Alice snorted"To be fair we wouldn't of needed her help if she didn't piss of Rumple, we would have been fine."

Jefferson nodded,"Not to forget I got tossed around by her ex-fiancé and her psychotic mother cut off my head."

Emma looked surprised,"Regina has an ex?"

Jefferson made an iffy gesture with his hands,"Whale brought him back, and he went along terrorizing the village."

David looked at Jefferson,"Who is Dr. Whale any way? In our land?"

Jefferson looked at David,"He's not from our land and it isn't my place to say, can we get back on topic?"

Snow nodded,"Emma she tried to kill the three of us, yesterday."

Emma spoke again her voice having a challenging tone,"No she didn't, she's trying to change for Henry."

Jefferson rubbed the back of his head,"She kinda did, Emma, it took me coughing up blood and your son crying and yelling at her to change her mind. She's spiteful and petty and not to be trusted."

Emma's eyes narrowed,"The same could be said about you."

Jefferson cocked his head questioningly,"Have I ever lied to you?"

Snow looked between the two of them,"I say we approach her with caution the four of us have dealt with her longer than you Emma, I ask you to trust us on this."

Emma looked at the four of them,"Henry trusts her and right now that's enough for me. I mean I couldn't have changed if I wasn't given a chance."

Alice looked upset,"This wouldn't be her first chance."

Emma shook her head,"It doesn't matter, she's trying to change for Henry, she's still Henry's mom."

Snow looked at the four of them and nodded Jefferson let a nasty look cross his face and his blue eyes narrowed before tersely speaking,"Fine but if she comes near Grace, if she hurts Grace she's fair game."

Emma looked taken aback by Jefferson's sudden change in demeanor,"Jefferson-"

Alice raised a hand to stop Emma from speaking,"No, He's right. Grace has suffered enough because we let Regina threaten us. If she touches my family I will kill her."

Alice walked away toward Regina not engaging in a conversation with her, Grace appeared by her mother and Alice put herself between Grace and Regina unconsciously. Alice put two of the pies she and Jefferson made on to the plate as Regina put lasagna onto Henry's.

Alice put some more food onto Grace's plate before looking at Regina uneasily. Jefferson looked at the three of them as Archie came over and talked to Jefferson,"You missed your last appointment."

Jefferson nodded,"I've been a little busy. Putting my life back together."

Archie spoke seeing the way Jefferson kept glancing at Alice hesitant to let her or Grace out of his sight,"Who were you during the curse?"

Jefferson shrugged,"I don't know, I had the fake life in my head and my actual life. I remembered everything."

Archie looked confused,"Then why did you think your wife was dead? Ms. Kingsleigh is your wife, right?"

Jefferson looked uncomfortable,"Her name is Alice and yes. I thought she was dead as that was what Regina led me to believe. Grace didn't remember me because that was part of my curse. Why be allowed to forget when Regina can keep an old friend miserable."

Archie heard the way Jefferson put a double meaning on the word friend,"Did something happen between the two of you?"

Jefferson shrugged,"I was 17, rahat se întâmplă."

Archie looked confused so Jefferson cleared up what he said,"Shit happens."

Archie looked on,"Oh. Oh! Really?"

Jefferson made an indifferent gesture,"It was over a decade ago physically I'm over it and I was over her a long time ago."

Archie nodded knowing that Jefferson was avoiding a topic again,"Well if you ever want to talk…"

Jefferson nodded in understanding,"Thank you Dr. Hopper."

Alice caught Jefferson's gaze and smiled waving him over,"If you'll excuse me."

(Blah blah blah I did a race recently and saw a bunch of naked old men not a great way to start a day. In the mood for a flash back)

Regina was working on her magic as Jefferson swaggered in grinning cockily at Rumple,"Ho Rumple, I have a gift for you."

Rumple looked up from the spinning wheel,"And that is?"

Jefferson walked over and handed Rumple a vial full of black brackish fluid,"Water from Neverland."

Rumple spoke spinning the wheel slowly,"I don't remember asking for this."

Jefferson sat down across from him watching the wheel spin,"That's why it's a gift. Regina said you were running low and it wasn't a big deal to jaunt on over."

Rumple looked down at Jefferson with a look that questioned his motives,"You want something."

"I can't do something nice?" Rumple raised an eyebrow as Jefferson stood up and walked over to Regina watching her work.

"You do something out of the good of your heart?" Rumple giggled,"Don't you have a brothel to inhabit?"

Jefferson scowled, ignoring Rumple before looking at Regina with an appraising gaze,"Regina?"

Regina looked a little startled at Jefferson's appearance as she was focused on her magic,"Jefferson. How are you today?"

Jefferson grinned widely feigning total interest,"All the better now that I've seen you."

Rumple muffled laughter behind his hand receiving a mildly annoyed look from Jefferson, Regina looked down as her cheeks went red as no one talked to her like that since Daniel,"And the same to you."

Jefferson mimicked the tilt of her head seeing what she was working on a Rumple walked off muttering something about Jefferson being more effective than Victor,"What 're you workin' on?"

Regina was startled by the way Jefferson spoke no longer drawling and perfect but shorter dropping off certain letters like the villagers often did,"A paralysis spell, and I didn't realize you listened to me."

Jefferson shrugged,"I always listen to you."

Regina raised an eyebrow in disbelief as she looked at Jefferson starting to fiddle with a silver necklace with a compass stamped into it,"Do you know what time it is?"

Jefferson put the necklace away and pulled out a bronze pocket watch with wood surrounding the dial. The watch was all beaten and scourged to hell. Jefferson clicked the button popping the lock and gently pulled it open as the hinges were rusting, Regina looked over at the face of the clock and saw that it was smashed but what amazed her was that the hands on the clock kept moving even though it shouldn't have been possible. Jefferson stared at it for a second disdain crossing his features until he closed it and shoved back in his pocket without the care he took for the silver necklace which was probably less valuable than the pocket watch when it was in better condition.

Jefferson looked up at her,"About 8:42, you should get going before the castle notices you're gone."

Regina rolled her eyes,"I doubt they care."

Jefferson furrowed his brow,"I doubt that, it's just that you're the new queen. You take some getting used to."

Regina smiled sweetly at Jefferson,"Thank you."

"No problem, I can walk you out if you prefer." Jefferson smiling back.

"I'd appreciate that." Regina said grabbing her cloak as Jefferson put a hand on her back and started to lead her out of the dark castle.

They reached Regina's carriage as Jefferson drew her around the side away from the prying eyes of the coachman. Jefferson leaned down and kissed her deeply it was simple, conveying interest. Regina stood there shocked for a second before kissing him back her's was needy and desperate. Jefferson pulled away slowly a rakish grin spread across his face as he led her into the carriage,"I'll see you later then?"

Regina blinked at him before finding her voice,"Later than."

Jefferson let the door swing shut before stepping of the step waving at her with a carefree motion as he took down the road away from the carriage and Dark Castle.


	25. Chapter 27

David, Snow and Emma looked through Dr. Hopper's office searching for clues as Pongo sat whimpering quietly. David looked through a file cabinet, while Snow went over notes at his desk and Emma flipped through the boxes of files next to the couch.

David held up two files as he rummaged through Archie's office,"Look Jefferson and Regina's files are empty."

Emma looked up,"Why would Regina take Jefferson's file if she did do it?"

Snow looked at her daughter,"Or he took hers? They seem to have a strange relationship."

Emma looked conflicted and sort of angry,"Looks like we have to go pay a visit to the crazy guy."

_**(I know I already wrote this episode but I don't care)**_

Emma pulled up to Jefferson's house and got out of the car, marching up the steps and started to pound on the door,"Jefferson! Jefferson! Open the damn door!"

Jefferson opened the door his vest and shirt unbuttoned and untucked, no scarf around his neck showing his beheading scar, his lips were slightly puffy and his hair sticking up in a bunch of directions,"Can I help you?"

Emma pushed him inside causing him to stumble slightly, Snow and David walked in after her. Jefferson winked at Snow seeing her judgemental look. Emma walked toward the living room seeing Alice's head turn and her eyebrow raise. Jefferson walked around the couch and put an arm around Alice kissing her.

Alice's shirt was undone revealing a black lacey bra and matching underwear, Alice smiled widely at them,"Emma, Snow and _Charming_. How can we help you today?"

David looked at the floor as Emma looked like she was annoyed and like it took extreme amounts of efforts,"Your _husband's_ file was missing from Doctor Hopper's office."

Jefferson looked confused,"Did Dr. Hopper take it?"

Emma glared at Jefferson receiving a challenging gaze in return,"He's dead."

Alice paled and Jefferson stiffened beside her shifting,"That-I-told-Alice."

Alice looked upset as Jefferson tried to stutter out a complete sentence,"Do you know who did it?"

Emma sat on the table as Jefferson had a nervous energy that reminded her of Neal but it was impossible as the couldn't have known each other,"Regina, what would she want with your file?"

Jefferson shrugged,"Who the fuck knows?"

Alice looked at him,"It will be okay."

Jefferson smiled slightly upset,"Thank you for lying to me."

Alice sighed before looking at David knowing he wouldn't be able to stand up to her piercing gaze,"Are you hiding something?"

David got a deer in the headlights look as Alice sat up, one of her sleeves sliding down her shoulder, Snow got a slightly judgmental look on her face at Alice's lack of modesty, David spoke squirming under Alice's gaze slightly,"We think Gold might have done it, framed her."

Jefferson made a amused noise his voice teasing,"How's it feel to be so fucking wrong?"

David narrowed his eyes at Jefferson moving his jacket to show his gun,"What makes you say that?"

Jefferson lips pouted slightly,"Our dear Belle, of course. Plus Regina is on icy ground with most of the town, he wouldn't need to kill anyone, especially Dr. Hopper to turn what is left of the town that thinks she is redeemable. Trust me luvs, I've worked with him for seven years. He doesn't do anything without a cause."

Emma leaned forward,"Turning the town against Regina is a pretty good cause."

Jefferson scowled,"Do you and your father not listen to me? He has no cause to kill Dr. Hopper. If he wants to turn the town against Regina, He'll use her previous crimes and present them in a new light, or you have the fact of patricide."

David looked confused,"What? Who?"

Jefferson cocked his head,"Her father, Henry. She need the heart of the thing she loved the most to cast the Dark Curse, and that was her father. Trust me, she was willing to shatter my family for him. I found it rather karmatic that she had to kill him."

Emma growled at him,"You're disgusting."

Jefferson shrugged,"Am I really the bad guy because Regina separated me from my wife and daughter? Because, I found it funny that karma can be a real bitch?"

Emma narrowed her eyes and stood up,"Thank you for all your help, Jefferson. Alice, nice to see you like always."

Alice nodded as Emma walked out of the house followed by Snow and David as Jefferson shouted,"Having fun trying to pin the Dark One for murder."

Alice glanced at Jefferson after the door slammed shut,"Really, Jefferson?"

Jefferson held up his hands and stretched his legs out underneath his wife pulling her onto his chest,"They don't listen, jalan atthirari anni."

Alice looked skeptical before looking at Jefferson her brown eyes mischievous,"Grace is at school for a few more hours….."

Jefferson tilted Alice's chin so they could kiss, Jefferson tugged on her lip gently,"Read my mind, zheanae." _**(Jefferson called her beautiful)**_

Alice made a noise of surprise as Jefferson picked her up and wrapped his arms around her carrying her up the stairs to their bedroom.

_**(Do not have time for Snow and her hypocrisy and David's lack of listening. The outsider is blended with this chapter too.)**_

Jefferson stood watching the funeral go on an arm around Alice and Grace directly in front of him, he looked on impassively as Alice looked away and Grace wrapped her arms around her mother. Jefferson stepped in front of them, drawing the both of them close, he ran a hand through Grace's hair reassuringly. Jefferson watched as everyone began to leave and say their goodbyes to each other, Jefferson picked Grace up and felt Alice following them as Grace was holding Alice's hand. Emma called Jefferson's name prompting him to put Grace down and tell Alice to take her to the car, Jefferson watched them walk away as Alice drew Grace close wrapping an arm around her.

"Jefferson can we talk for a second?" Emma asked her voice conveying feelings of anger and sadness.

"We can, doesn't mean we may." Jefferson couldn't resist pushing Emma's buttons no matter where they were.

"Could you stop being you for a second?" Emma asked her voice angry.

Jefferson shrugged,"Don't know how else to be, luv."

"Do you know where Regina is?"

Jefferson looked incredulous,"Her vault? I don't know she's the one person who knows the town better than me, she could be anywhere."

Emma looked irritated,"Thank you for being helpful as always, Jefferson."

Jefferson quirked his lips and teased,"You're welcome, Sheriff."

Emma stalked off to be with Henry as Jefferson walked over to Alice kissing her lightly before letting Grace and her in the car shrugging lightly when Alice asked a question.

_**(Jefferson is captain of the rumbelle ship.)**_

Jefferson was making food with Alice as Grace talked to Ruby. He and Alice hesitated when they heard the dwarf, Leroy?, speak,"The dwarves and I have been thinking, and we have to ask. When do we go back?"

Emma looked shocked as Jefferson set down the knife intrigued,"Back? Where?"

Leroy looked honest,"The Enchanted Forest. Our home."

Snow looked curious,"You wanna go back?"

Emma place her hands in her pocket,"We fought really hard to get _here_."

Alice spoke her voice soft,"It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

Jefferson mumbled,"Minus the fact it's impossible."  
Leroy continued to speak,"Storybrooke isn't as safe as we thought. With the curse broken, there is a whole world that doesn't know who or what we are. What if one of them comes here?"

Ruby spoke up,"Yeah, what if they see, ya' know, magic? A girl turning into a wolf or a panther? Folks weren't exactly understanding back home."

Jefferson spoke his voice cutting Emma off,"It's impossible."

The room minus Alice, Grace, Snow, and Emma, broke out into a tumult as Alice slammed her hand down making everyone look at her, she spoke her eyes blazing,"Let the man with some actual experience speak."

Jefferson nodded thanks at Alice,"We would need fairydust and a bean, which you can't get anymore. Thanks to King George and an order to a giant killer. The only other way was ripped by your prince and then burned by King George. So unless you have a way to pull a portal to the Enchanted Forest, we're stuck."

Everyone was quiet while Jefferson's information sunk in. Alice rubbed Jefferson's shoulder comfortingly, and Grace sat against her mother looking upset.

_**(Is it nap time yet? Can I sleep for a week or 3?)**_

Aasiyah heard knocking at her door hearing Belle's voice,"Aasiyah? It's me. Can I come in?"

Aasiyah put down the dish she was cleaning and wiped her hands on a towel,"Yeah it's open."

Belle came running in and shut the door holding a knot and a book about maritime travel,"Rumple said you could see thing no one else can."

Aasiyah shrugged,"In a way. My ability to shapeshift and render myself invisible gives me heightened senses. What do you need?"

Belle showed Aasiyah the knot which she took sniffing it lightly,"Help finding a pirate."

Aasiyah grinned widely,"Darling you should have started with that."

_**(Aasiyah lives in Alice's old apartment not with her, Jefferson, and Grace)**_

Aasiyah walked onto the leftmost dock following the loud creaking noise,"Found it."

Belle looked at her,"How?"

Aasiyah shrugged,"Can hear it. Plus it's cloaked so if you essentially vibrate on the same plain you can see it out of the corner of your eye. So how do we get on?"

Belle looked around and saw one of the boxes filled with sand she grabbed a handful tossing it past Aasiyah watching as it landed at a slope, Belle looked at Aasiyah,"Found our way up."

Aasiyah grinned again,"Let me go first. I have magic."

Belle shrugged,"I have a gun."

Aasiyah nodded."Gun trumps magic fair enough."

Belle walked onto the ship followed by Aasiyah who when they got on Deck tapped her elbow twice and pointed to the floor, where the hold was mouthing that she heard something. Aasiyah walked down into the hold peering into the gridded squares with Belle checking the other side. Belle flipped the two doors in the middle up.

She peered in her voice filled with disbelief,"Archie you're-"

Aasiyah appeared right next to her,"So who did we bury?"

Archie looked confused,"What? Can we talk about this later after you-"

Belle nodded and grabbed a swording having Aasiyah steady her as Belle cut the ropes and helped Archie out."You two need to go. Find Mr. Gold tell him I'm here."

Aasiyah looked nervous,"You're not coming?"

Belle shook her head as footsteps were heard overhead causing Aasiyah to flinch at the magnified loudness,"There's no time to argue."

Aasiyah grabbed Archie and pulled him against her,"Hold on, I'll be back Belle."

Aasiyah and Archie disappeared with a noise of protest from Archie and the whoosh that came from teleporting.

_**(They looked for Gold couldn't find him so they went to see Emma and Jefferson cause Aasiyah knew they might be there.)**_

Jefferson was helping David and Snow clean as Alice told Grace and Henry a story. There was a whoosh, and a gust of wind as Aasiyah and Archie appeared in the living room Aasiyah sat in the ground looking pale and gasping, while Archie was white as a sheet. Jefferson walked around the counter and pulled Archie up as he was grabbed into a hug by David and Mary Margaret. Alice pulled Aasiyah up who preceded to cling to her looking upset.

Alice noticed her sister's distress,"Aasiyah what's wrong?"

Aasiyah looked upset and exhausted from portaling all around town searching for Gold,"He was on a pirate ship."

Jefferson's jaw set and his blue eyes became like glaciers, he drew his lips back and snarled,"Hook."

Alice blanched, and looked at Henry and Grace hugging Archie while David and Snow talked to him,"Hate to break up the moment but if Archie was taken by KIllian, Cora is here too."

Jefferson swallowed and looked pained,"Was she there too, Archie?"

Archie nodded,"Do you have a past with her."

Jefferson made a noncommittal noise,"Yeah, you could say that. Let's just say I'd rather face Regina than her mother."

Grace hugged her father reassuringly and Jefferson looked around nervously,"Gold will be our best bet."

Snow looked at him,"Really?"

Jefferson nodded, rubbing his neck and showing his scar,"Student never surpassed the master."

Alice traced circles on Jefferson's back,"It will be okay, sweetheart."

Jefferson's head shot up looking horrified,"Al, I told him everything. My family and you and Grace. If she has the file."

Jefferson sort of froze and made quiet panicked noises as Alice tried to sooth him. Jefferson calmed down but was numb and leaned against Alice, trying to figure out how to protect his family.  
(_**I know I changed a lot I'm stressed.)**_


	26. Chapter 28

Jefferson sat around the table with Alice, Snow, Leroy and Charming. David talked about how Anton thought he was his brother, James, and that's why Anton tried to kill him. Jefferson thought for a second and groaned into his hands.

Jefferson looked up at Alice, "Jack was there too."

Alice narrowed her eyes in thought, "Jack as in the giant slayer or one of your dalliances?"

Jefferson looked at his wife critically, "I know you know they're the same person. So stop playing stupid."

Alice shrugged, "Playing stupid's a lot more fun, people underestimate you."

David looked between the two of them confused, "You slept with a man?"

Jefferson looked taken aback, "Jack is short for Jacqueline. Very feminine."

Alice's voice was muffled behind her hand, "He didn't sleep with a man this time."

Jefferson snorted back a laugh, "Anyway, knowing your father or whatever the hell he is, he sent James and Jack to kill the giants. Pillage the treasury, the beans all of it. And rumor has it Jack got hurt and James left her there to die."

David looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Jefferson looked confused, "Why I didn't love her, she was a….. What's the word?"

Alice thought for a second, "Distraction?"

Jefferson nodded, "Thank you. She hired me to take her to Wonderland and we agreed on some gold and a more physical payment. With her, I was just killing time."

Snow blushed at this while Leroy looked shocked, "You're kidding right?"

Jefferson made a nonchalant gesture, "There is a reason back home I was called the Lord of Love."

Alice rolled her eyes, "Can we get back on topic or are we going to keep talking about what Jefferson did as a teenager."

David shrank under Alice's gaze as Jefferson kissed her cheek, "Forgive me, jalan atthirari anni."

Alice tried to be angry, "You're forgiven, shekh ma shieraki anni."

Leroy looked between the two of them, "So what's the plan?"

Alice grinned widely, "Why we give him our dear prince, of course."

Snow looked upset, "Would you do that to Jefferson?"

Alice nodded, "Yes, I have a plan no harm will come to your dear prince. Trust me."

_**(Alice called Jefferson her sun and stars)**_

Jefferson looked at Charming tying the rope around his waist, "I will never understand you people. You want to save someone who's dangerous from bleeding to death now you want to save a giant who wants you dead. Makes perfect sense."

Charming scowled at Jefferson, "It's the right thing to do."

Jefferson watched as Charming repelled down to Anton, and mumbled, "Doesn't mean it's the best thing."

Jefferson helped pull Anton up when he climbed out of the hole,"Hey, no need to go around with a vendetta, right?"

Anton ignored him looking at Snow and Charming, "You saved my life."

Alice leaned into Jefferson to protect herself from the cold whispering to Jefferson, "But at the expense of whom?"

Jefferson pressed his face to her hair, "Don't worry she's at your sister's."

Alice nodded as the group start to smile and lead Anton away from the hole. Jefferson ignored the sinking pit in his stomach the feeling of being watched as he turned Alice toward him, "Let's go to Granny's, my love."

Alice knew he was withholding something but confronting him worked half the time, "Led the way, my lord."

_**(Short chapter I know. Sorry. Oh and this is apparent on the Ao3 version, Alice has a younger brother, and where Jefferson is from is called the Lusnyae Providence. Next chapter might be the flashback Jefferson talks about or not)**_

Alice buried herself into Jefferson's chest and jacket, "I hate cold weather."

Jefferson laughed as he rubbed her back trying to warm her up, "I know but until we go home you gotta get used to it."

Alice grumbled something unintelligible, and moved her face, "I hate it when you're right. Hatter?"

Blue eyes met brown questioningly,"Hmm?"

Alice's voice was hesitant something that only happened when she was nervous and scared, "What did the Queen do to you exactly? You don't have to tell me."

Jefferson blanched and led her over to a bench, "But I should. Regina wanted me for a job and she abandoned me in Wonderland to save her father leaving me in the clutches of that god-awful whore."

Alice snorted, as she sat in his lap, her head resting in the crook of his neck and shoulder, "That's offensive to whores everywhere."

Jefferson smiled, "It really is."


	27. Chapter 29

_**The knave isn't going to be the old man for part of the chapter he is in the first and second scene. After that he's Will Scarlet. This is sorta nerdy but Alice's and Jefferson's D&amp;D alignment is Chaotic Neutral.**_

Jefferson glanced up from the half formed hat in his hands, as the Knave of Hearts entered the dungeon where Jefferson was locked up. Jefferson stared at the Knave who glanced at the fabrics beginning to slowly paw through them,"May I help you?"

The Knave looked up but continued to paw through the fabric causing one of the carefully stacked piles to topple over,"Just looking."

Jefferson's voice was cold,"Do you really think _her highness _will look upon you favorably if you keep impeding my progress?"

The Knave glared at him,"And how are you coming along with that?"

Jefferson grabbed the scissors but could swear he heard Alice's voice saying that he shouldn't through the scissors but it wouldn't be the worst thing if he did, Jefferson smiled. He looked at the scissors in his hand and threw them with accuracy, they sank into the wall barely an inch from the Knave's face. Jefferson looked innocent,"Farther than I was yesterday, ifak."

The Knave narrowed his eyes before walking back out of the room slamming the door. Jefferson grabbed another pair of scissors and continued to finish the hat. When he finished it he spun in it his hands looking for the familiar wisp of purple, the wisp of magic, he NEEDED magic to get back to Grace to keep his promise to his beautiful dragon queen. When he didn't get the satisfied result he tossed the hat into the growing pile. Jefferson grabbed black velvet trying to make an exact replica of his hat, the hat Regina stole. He should've let Alice kill her when she had the chance. No one would be angry enough to call for her execution, Jefferson saw that when he would go to the market and sell mushrooms with Grace and the stuffed dragon that she carried almost everywhere with her, she knew Alice gave it to her and treasured it more and more each day. The only salvation Jefferson got in Wonderland was that he didn't have that goddamn pocket watch, the one thing his mother gave him and he hated it. He hated for what it stood for, and he hoped that Grace wouldn't find it. She didn't need to know his parents, Alice wanted to know them and Jefferson felt the inescapable urge to flaunt her. To show that he won, that even after losing everything else he still one.

_**(Ifak is a Dothraki insult it means one who walks, walker. Not a good thing.)**_

Jefferson's mumblings became rhythmic as he slowly lost his mind? Could you really lose your mind if you were aware of it? Jefferson barely looked up when the door opened, his eyes flickered upward seeing the Knave and the Queen of Hearts, Regina's mother, Cora. Jefferson eyes went back down to the hat in his hands as he growled in frustration running a hand through his tangled hair,"Get it to work, get it to work, get it to work, să-l la locul de muncă, să-l la locul de muncă, să-l la locul de muncă."

He vaguely heard the Queen speaking to him as the two guards he didn't see ripped him upward jerking him away from his work painfully. The guards forced him on his knees, placing their feet on the back of his calves and wrenching his arms up so he couldn't struggle. Cora bent and gripped his chin roughly forcing him to look at her,"Thief, it's not polite to ignore your queen."

Jefferson smiled wide and crazed,"Not my queen, luv."

Cora's grip tightened on his jaw and he felt blood start to run down his cheek,"Well we see how you feel about that in a few days time."

Jefferson looked confused, as Cora released his face and plunged her hand into his chest causing him to gasp and scream as he cried out. Cora twisted her hand and yanked out his heart, Jefferson slumped between the two guards gasping and looking at her terrified. Cora gently patted him on the cheek, and showed him his heart its red light reflecting of his eyes, she squeezed it gently making him scream in excruciating pain, when Jefferson stopped screaming he looked at her like he wanted to die but there was something still defiant in him something that would take a lot more to break him, he was different from Regina, angrier, the emptiness that accompanied having your heart ripped out didn't change him, like the anger and desperation was set into his being, into his soul. Cora didn't let that phase her she gently squeezed the heart again causing him to cry out,"Now, my dear, you'll get this back when you learn how to behave."

Cora slipped the heart into the folds of her dress and walked out of the room followed by the guards the knave decided to stay behind and try and get a response from Jefferson that wasn't filled with insults or vulgarities.

The Knave looked at Jefferson, who pulled himself to his feet and stumbled to his desk, Jefferson grabbed a pair of scissors, shiny and sharp, new to replace the pair that was lodged in the door frame that Jefferson didn't bother to pick up.

"Her majesty doesn't appreciate the way you speak to her." The Knave said kicking the pile of hats distastefully.

Jefferson made a grumpy noise,"That harpy can go suck a cock."

The Knave made a scandalized noise,"She is your queen!"

Jefferson's voice was extremely calm,"No, she's yours. I could care less about her."

The Knave made a noise which made Jefferson look up at him expecting something,"You impertinent half-breed bastard."

"And?" Jefferson said as the Knave came around to look at him, Jefferson raised the scissors gesturing between the two of them,"I'd be careful, what would the harpy think?"

The Knave drew a knife making Jefferson's self preservation rise higher than it was even when he had a heart,"She'd be glad to be rid of a unmuzzled churl such as yourself."

Jefferson looked at the knife,"Really? I thought she'd be more pissed that I deflowered her daughter. Multiple times."

The Knave's eyes flamed as he stabbed Jefferson below his ribs. Jefferson snarled in the Knave's ear, opening the scissors and stabbing up through the Knave's ribs. Jefferson let go of the scissors and the knave dropped to the ground, Jefferson sank to his knees as he pushed his weight up on the desk. Jefferson grabbed a needle that was already threaded and removed his shirt avoiding the knife. Jefferson cleaned the blood around the skin not removing the knife quite yet, he heard the Knave gasp and go to remove the scissors,"Can you be quiet? I'm trying to focus. Oh, I wouldn't remove those unless you want to speed up your death."

The Knave looked at him his eyes foggy with pain but his confusion evident,"It's the only thing preventing you from bleeding out, so be my guest, pull it out. I dare you."

Jefferson hissed as he pulled out the knife and began to quickly sew up his wound, with the skill of someone who had to do it before, the scars that were on his body showed that he knew what he was doing no matter how much pain he was in. Jefferson pushed his scarf into a square and pushed it against his stitched up wound. Jefferson growled as he tore up the remains of his shirt and secured the pad around his waist. Jefferson limped past the bleeding knave stumbling in the growing pool of blood. Jefferson grabbed a shirt and slowly button it up careful not to pull his stitches. He rested laid back on his side facing the wall and Alice's hand drawn photo of her and Grace, he felt the knot from his shirt press into his ribs, Jefferson knew he should be feeling something but his lack of heart just made him angry, at himself, at Regina, the wench, his mother, his father, everyone without his heart, Jefferson didn't have any reason not to be angry, no higher reason to not boil with hatred as he listen to the Knave take his last breaths.

_**(Jefferson without his heart is very dangerous. No conscience and doesn't have a reason to not be angry and self-involved. Think of who we saw in The Doctor, but worse. More angry but less of a dick?)**_

Jefferson screamed and rolled on the floor as Cora squeezed his heart,"Please stop."

Cora laughed haughtily,"Not until I believe you learned your lesson."

Jefferson gagged in pain as he writhed on the groaned, his shirt soaking in the blood of the Knave,"Stop!"

Cora smiled relenting the pressure on his heart for a second she put her foot on his chest,"No my little strumpet. I'm going to keep you here."

Jefferson looked at her and grunted in pain,"Fuck you, your majesty."

Cora's lips drew back in a snarl, and she squeezed his heart,"Now I can make this stop if you swear loyalty to me."

Jefferson screeched in pain,"Whore!"

Cora laughed and looked at the guards,"Boys feel free to do what you wish with him."

Cora walked out of the room, as the guards started to kick and punch him savagely, Jefferson tried to crawl away but received a sharp kick to the stomach. Jefferson dropped and cried out, he curled up into a ball to protect himself from the blows. _'St__ă__pânul puterilor s__ă__ fie cu noi , în vremuri de primejdie nu avem nici un alt ajutor, dar Tu . Domn al puterilor , s__ă__ aib__ă__ mil__ă__ de noi.'_

_**( Lord of the Powers be with us, for in times of distress we have no other help but You.**_

_**Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us. Jefferson prays for safety. Imma let you in on a little secret you should check out Singer of Water, she's an amazing writer way better than me by like a lot)**_

Jefferson giggled hysterically. Rocking back and forth as he started to work on his last hat. Two years, he approximates, he's been at this. Two years without Grace, three without Alice. Two years of doing a menial task, two years dealing with a whore who was worse then her damned daughter and her constant changing moods. One year since he killed the Knave six months since the Knave was by replaced by an old thief named Will Scarlet. Jefferson hated him even more. Jefferson looked at the new hat that didn't look anything his. Jefferson sobbed and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as he started to work on the next hat the last one he promised himself, forgetting the fact that he made the same promise seventy hats ago. Making the hat just kept him busy and distracted from everything. It helped but made him worse, made him crazier, he giggled softly to himself,'_The question that sometimes drives me hazy am I or the others crazy?'_

_**(Now a flashback with Alice.)**_

Jefferson looked around the market everyone paying attention to their own business. Alice had Grace's dragon in her arms as she glanced up at Jefferson nervously. He glanced down at his legs where Grace was supposed to be. He looked up in each direction as he saw Alice take off down the street seeing Grace toddle into the crowd. Jefferson pushed past people seeing Alice kneeling down her dress and cloak bunched up underneath her knees as she talked to Grace, her expression upset,"Don't you ever leave our sight again."

Grace had tears on our face,"I'm sorry, Mama."

Alice pulled Grace close and kissed her head,"It's alright sweetie, we were just scared. We thought you were hurt."

Grace clutched her mom as she was picked up, her voice was muffled,"I'm sorry mama."

Alice ran a hand through Grace's hair,"It's okay."

Jefferson looked around seeing the villagers push themselves to the side of the street as the queen's carriage came rattling through. He turned around and pulled up Alice's hood,"Regina is here. Be careful."

Jefferson turned and faced Grace comforting her as her tears were muffled in Alice's leather dress, to someone who glanced at them they looked like two parents comforting their upset child, not three members of a royal family, two of which were afraid for their lives and their daughter's life. Jefferson glanced up as the villagers started to talk about Regina, how she ran off the good princess and was evil. Alice turned and faced him, her eyes asking for what to do next. Jefferson kissed her head and hugged Alice and Grace protectively, looking around for any threats to his family.

"Are we okay?" Alice asked noticing the way Jefferson's eyes flickered around the market.

"We should be, let's go home." Jefferson said smiling trying to reassure his wife.


	28. Chapter 30

_**This will be a combination of chapters three episodes at the most.**_

Jefferson sat backwards in one of the Charming's chairs with Alice draped over his shoulder, her head nuzzled into his neck. He was mulling through what Snow just told them.

"So let me get this straight, Rumplestiltskin is Henry's grandfather? But I'm Henry's grandfather." David said as Snow sat next to him her hands around a cup of coffee.

Jefferson shot him a dry look,"Were you dropped on your head?"

Alice looked up at him,"Jefferson, be nice."

Jefferson held up a hand,"No it's a legitimate question, I may be a miner's son who never had a formal day of schooling, but I at least know how family trees work."

Alice put a hand on Jefferson's shoulder,"Um, darling, we know Rumple's son."

Jefferson looked up at her before snorting,"Oh, god. Baelfire?"

Alice nodded before suppressing a bubble of laughter,"Yeah, that means you got-"

Jefferson nodded a look of shame mixed with laughter and horror,"Him drunk on cheap ale."

Jefferson looks at Snow and David,"None of this reaches Rumple, understand?"

David nodded,"So how did you two start to work together, you and Mr. Gold?"

Jefferson sighed and rubbed his hand,"Umm, long story."

David sat back crossing his arm,"We have time."

Jefferson scowled,"I was starving and wanted to die, so I stole some of his money. There are definitely easier ways to die then starving to death."

Jefferson grinned self deprecatingly,"Getting your head chopped off for instance, it hurts but then it's over pretty quick, waiting is the worse part."

Alice looked at Jefferson her brown eyes storming,"Jefferson, I-"

Jefferson kissed the inside of her wrist,"I know. I'm sorry, but I know I wouldn't have met you and things would be much worse for me, and I wouldn't have been able to get out of Wonderland or-or that place."

Alice pressed her nose into his hair as Jefferson clenched his fist and breathed deeply blinking back tears and trying to get rid of the acrid smell of burning flesh out of his nose. Snow shook her head,"What is our plan for Cora and Regina?"

Alice looked at Snow her voice diplomatic and her eyes cold,"Kill Cora and do what you will with Regina. Some monsters can't be saved."

Snow and David looked appalled by this, Snow's voice was outraged,"KIlling her makes us no better than them."

Alice stood up her hands on Jefferson's shoulder,"Being a queen means you have to make tough choices, one life for many, and have you not killed people before? In the wars for your kingdom, for your throne?"

Snow floundered for a second,"What you're suggesting is murder."

Alice's voice was level, her voice barely rising,"What I'm suggesting is an execution."

Snow's voice rose,"Without trial!"

Alice looked at Snow in disbelief, her voice started level but ended by cracking"We don't need a trial for her, most adults remember what Cora has done, some have had family murdered by her hand or order, some of us were _tortured_, driven _mad_."

Snow looked at Jefferson,"You can't be okay with this."

Jefferson brushed his knuckled by his lips,"I am, I've seen people burned alive for who they loved. I've seen lords executed for committing an act of treason. Someone who's murdered dozens of villages, worth of people whose tortured countless, who's ruled with tyranny? She deserves to be executed more than people who loved the wrong person, she deserves to be executed just as much as people who committed treason, because she is the queen's mother doesn't give her more right than me or you."

Jefferson levelly looked at Snow and raised an eyebrow with a challenging look across his face.

_**(On to the next episode. Is my love for the CHarmings obvious?)**_

The blue fairy looked at the Charmings,"He's cast a protection spell."

Snow looked at the Blue Fairy as Alice and Jefferson snuck up behind them, well not snuck more of they were to busy thinking of an easy way that they weren't paying attention,"We need something equally powerful."

David looked at them,"Dark magic?"

BLue looked at David in disbelief,"Dear, you don't know what you're saying."

Jefferson stalked past them,"Excuse me."

Snow looked at Jefferson who began to kneel in front of the door and pulled a black wallet out of his jacket and began to unlock the door, Alice leaned on the door frame next to him,"Typical of fairies to assume magic is the only way into a building."

Jefferson glanced upward at Alice, clad in black, her hand dangling loosely on her sword's hilt, Blue narrowed her eyes at the two of them,"So the barbarian and the sodomite will break into the dark one's shop?"

Jefferson spoke his voice dry,"You act as if I haven't done that before. Perks of remembering the curse, you picked up on a couple of things."

The locked clicked and the door slid open, Alice looked at the three of them her voice condescending,"You're welcome to keep looking for the dagger out there or you could use the door that us barbarians use."

Jefferson held the door open as Snow and Blue pushed into the shop, as Charming passed Jefferson shot him a wide grin and bared his neck,"Are we even sure it be in here?"

Blue nodded,"It's the dark one would he keep it out of hand?"

ALice and Jefferson looked at each other,"Yes."

Alice started to open shelves looking for the dagger before Jefferson stopped her,"Wait, Al, this is Rumple, where would you keep it if you were him?"

Alice closed the cabinet as Snow interject,"Alice would never become the dark one."

Alice glared at Snow,"Don't assume things you know nothing about. I would keep it with you."

"And where would you put it?" Jefferson said dropping hints allowing them to come to their own conclusions.

"Clock tower, Belle." Alice spoke her voice filled with respect,"Clever man."

Jefferson winked at ALice before turning and looking at the three of them,"I suggest you go, Cora will come here next, Alice will work on strengthening the shields. So scram. We have it handled here."

Blue looked at Alice questioningly,"I may not be bursting with good magic but I get the job done."

Snow stalked out of the shop followed by Blue and David as Jefferson sagged,"Al, I can't."

Alice put her hands on his face,"I know."

Jefferson buried his face in her shoulder,"I can't."

"I know, but we'll fix we always do."

Jefferson looked at her water blue eyes into stubborn steely brown ones,"I wish I could have your optimism."

Alice shot him a sly smile,"Who said anything about optimism?"

Jefferson gave her a watery chuckle,"Power only gets you so far, love."

"Power gets us far enough, playing the game is what helps us win." Alice's voice was soft and lilting, her brown eyes flashed in a way that was reminiscent of her father, someone had played the game and won.

_**(I have other stories that seem to follow a trend, and that trend is usually angsty sebastian stan characters or characters that have played by him, TJ Hammond, Jefferson, Bucky Barnes. Plus end of an episode)**_

"So now you want to kill the queen?" Alice said sharpening her sword, she raised it up watching the florescent light flit off the edge,"What's with the change of heart?"

Snow's voice crackled through the phone,"She killed someone dear to me."

Jefferson looked up at her an unsurprised look on his face,"How's Rumple doing?"

David spoke his voice ladened with a sigh,"Emma says it's a bad wound, the cure is here in Storybrooke."

Jefferson pursed his lips,"You tell them about the dagger? Who knows what that awful whore is going to make him do."

Alice's voice was dry,"I have a few ideas."

Jefferson met her eyes cocking an eyebrow,"We both do, and trust me no one should experience it."

Alice looked at Jefferson before sliding of the glass counter and securing her sword in its sheath,"Does this mean we've agreed on the plan?"

David made a disapproving noise,"I still believe we should bring her to justice."

Jefferson hummed,"You're outvoted, David. Don't worry your little wife won't have to lift a pretty finger."

Jefferson and Alice sat in the bed of David's Truck as they ran to help lead Rumple into the bed, Jefferson hopped over the edge and pulled down the tail gate. Jefferson helped Neal lead Rumple to the car as Henry started to speak to David,"I sailed a pirate ship."

David smiled as Jefferson and Neal put Rumple into the truck bed with Alice's help,"Jefferson."

Jefferson looked at Neal wearily,"Baelfire."

Neal Held his arms open for a hug which Jefferson accepted hesitantly,"Good to see you, Been almost what 40 years?"

Jefferson pulled away with an unamused look as Alice interrupted them,"Hate to interrupt the family reunion but could we do this later? When Rumple isn't dying?"

Henry hopped into the Truck's cab followed by Emma and Snow, Jefferson allowed Neal to climb on before shutting the gate and hopping over the side,Alice hit Alice smiled at him,"Haven't had reason to change drastically."

Rumple's voice was a growl,"Come on we haven't got all day."the side of the truck prompting David to start the engine and drive back to Gold's shop,"You haven't changed much Alice."

ALice looked at Emma scratching am invisible chalk line on the floor,"You Missed a spot."

Alice swatted at Neal,"Bae-Neal. SHe's doing her best."

Neal shrugged, and Emma locked over at the two of them,"So how do you two know each other?"

"Jefferson." THey both said simultaneously.

"I still don't trust him." Emma said glancing in the direction of the door the madman slipped through.

Neal laughed,"He's practically harmless, it's Alice you need to look out for. She's the lethal one."

Alice smiled at Neal,"Aww thank you."

Emma looked at the two of them, as Jefferson came sweeping back in,"Give me your sword, need to borrow it. We need Cora to stay down."

Alice handed Jefferson her sword, and glanced out the window,"Rainy day?"

"It's a fucking tempest."

Alice looked alarmed but glanced to Jefferson's wrists which had bracers filled with throwing knives,"Are you sure about this?"

Jefferson glanced with her blue eyes troubled,"Nope, is this how you felt in Wonderland?"

Alice grimaced,"I had an army then."

Jefferson's eyes were clear not cloudy like they had been that day, no drugs in his system or physical injuries, '_He almost looks healthy.'_ Alice thought as Jefferson brushed his lips by hers before slinking off her sword in his hand, Neal looked at him,"He looks different, tired, more weary, like he was when we first met."

Alice clenched her hand, her brown eyes blazing, her voice was snarling"He has reason to be and I blame that evil bitch and that wicked half-bred whore she calls a mother."

Alice clenched her fist seeing it smoke, Neal put a hand on her shoulder,"Alice… He's alive that's all that matters."

Alice scrubbed a hand through her hair which was held back in multiple braids, most of it was loose but in a cage of braids one going down from the center of her forehead and two on each side meeting and interwoven to the braid that went down the middle of her head, her voice was frustrated,"That shouldn't be the only thing that matters, B-Neal."

"I know."

Jefferson walked into the front of Gold's shop as there was a clap that sounded like thunder and it shook the store,"Go to your father. Emma go with him."

Alice slid off the counter as Jefferson tossed her sword, she grabbed it and spun it, silver flashing in the light like a ribbon, Alice hid behind a counter as Jefferson stood up with an empty tumbler and bottle full of scotch. Neal grabbed EMma and started to pull her toward the back room to have her draw with the invisible chalk,"Emma, let's go. They have it handled."  
Alice looked up at Jefferson,"We agreed on the plan?"

Jefferson barely glanced down at her, his voice low and only could be heard by her,"Yep, you don't have to do this."

Alice's eyes narrowed,"Yes I do, otherwise it won't ever get done."

Jefferson barely had time to look upward as the door exploded into splinters causing him to flinch as David went charging from the back room, going against the plan, Snow wasn't with them which triggered Alarms in Jefferson's head,"David! Don't!"

Alice flinched as she heard a crack and groan as David was thrown out of the shop window, she heard Cora speak,"Find Snow, Alice wouldn't leave her dear little Hatter to suffer."

Jefferson unscrewed the top off of the bottle of scotch and started to pour it into the tumbler,"Don't pretend as if you know a damn thing about her. I, however, know a god awful lot about your twisted little family tree. Should I start with your daughter?"

Cora walked forward Alice clenched the hilt of her sword tighter as Jefferson carelessly threw a knife for her to catch,"Every dirty, nasty, perverse thing she had me do to her while King Leopold slept on. Or better yet I could tell everyone about Zelena."

Jefferson got slammed against a wall causing ALice to creep around the cabinet and hid out of Cora's sight as she stalked up to Jefferson and shoved her hand in his chest causing him to scream in pain, Alice muffled her cry behind her hand, Jefferson screeched as she twisted and yanked her hand back holding his heart and beginning to squeeze. Jefferson gasped but continued on his rant gasping for breath his tirade cut of by grunts and yelps in pain,"Or of every nasty AH! Little thing you did to everyone else, Iracebeth, Mirana, the Knave, shall I, ugh, go on? Zhavorsa."

Alice heard the signal and charged ar Cora shifting her body and knocking COra down, causing her to drop Jefferson's heart. Jefferson cried out as his heart was dropped to the floor and Cora dropped him her attention on Alice. Alice flipped Cora on her back and stood above her foot placed on her throat as Alice drove her blade into Cora's stomach. Alice looked at Jefferson who felt steady enough to stand and grab his heart before staggering over to the back room. Alice wrenched her blade out of Cora's body allowing her to succumb to her fatal injuries, with how Alice stabbed her, veins and organs were hit and her spinal cord was severed. Alice slid her sword into its sheath as she walked over to where Jefferson was standing, watching Neal hug his father. Jefferson looked away and held out his heart gently to Alice, Alice took it and looked at it knowing her heart was in a similar shape after everything they weren't through. Her's was better off, not shattered by as many people but almost the same level of darkness. Jefferson's heart beat cracks on the glassy shell, bright red, a pure almost blinding red with tangles of black wrapped around it, lines that looked like brambles choking his heart or reminding him of pain he caused and was caused. Alice felt the eyes of Charming, Emma and Neal on her as Rumplestiltskin got up slowly and walked over not to strain his body.

"Let me, Dearie." Rumple said gently causing Alice to look up at Jefferson, Jefferson nodded and clenched his jaw expecting pain,"This will hurt."

Alice handed Jefferson's heart to Rumple, Jefferson grunted and growled,"Really 'cause when it was ripped out, it felt _great_."

Rumple scowled and shoved Jefferson's heart back in place causing to him grit his teeth and try and suppress his cry, Alice grabbed him as his knees buckled and Rumple stepped away,"Hatter?"

Jefferson looked down at her,"Hmm?"

"Next time don't wait till she nearly kills you to tell me to go to action." Alice said nudging him reprimandingly.

Jefferson winked at her as they heard Regina and Snow scream, SNow's scream didn't have words but Regina did, one,"Mother!"

Jefferson staggered over to the doorway watching REgina hover over her mother,"Snow, don't look like that you'll get wrinkles."

Regina stood up and stalked up to Jefferson,"You!"

Jefferson's voice was cold, his body language hostile,"Actually I helped."

Regina slammed him into a cupboard, and held her hand to his throat, Jefferson's blue eyes blazed with dark flames, his voice was snarling and dangerous like a cornered animal,"Do it. I dare you. Prove to us that you're just like her. THat you're a monster. THat you haunt Henry's nightmares. Kill me and show them how powerful you are. Make them kneel before you. Show us that you still aren't that jealous little girl who I found in Rumplestiltskin's castle all those years ago. I've waited for my revenge, I don't have to be alive to reap the benefits."

Regina watched Jefferson her brown eyes brimming with tears as she disappeared in a puff of smoke. Alice watched as Jefferson glared at the spot where Regina used to stand before moving his jaw side to side and letting his shoulders sag, whether it was from shame or exhaustion only Alice and Rumple knew. Jefferson started to sink to the floor but was caught by Alice. Alice ignored the looks she received from Snow and David even though they knew the plan, the whole plan.

Alice led Jefferson over to a chair where he sat and rested his head against his fist, closing his eyes. Alice got fed up with the judgemental look from Snow,"What is your problem, SNow?"

Snow looked at Alice hovering protectively over Jefferson,"Don't you feel remorse?"

ALice shook her head,"No. I've dealt with her long enough, seen her ruin people's lives first hand. I can't find it in myself to feel bad. My father's hand has a saying,'The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.' THe sentence was passed and judgement was served. I don't think I made a mistake."


	29. Mutha fuckin flashback

Jefferson glanced up flicking the silver pendant through the air, he felt empty. The empty that was normal since Saphiro died. The empty loveless husk, he knew it was unhealthy what he was doing, replacing actual love with dalliances with everyone, prostitutes, Queens, Kings, anyone who was pretty enough to hold his attention for a minute and replace the pain with anything even regret. He tossed it up again as he felt eyes on him, he froze but continued flipping the pendant and chain about thinking of Regina, the Queen who's broken heart Jefferson wanted to shatter, and Mirana, gentle, elegant, and lovely, knowing that he was incapable of loving her.

"Excuse me sir?" A grotesque shape asked the voice not obviously male or female, and grating like shrieking screams, that made Jefferson flinch.

His "good" mood gone, he snapped,"What?"

"I was wondering how far to the nearest inn?" As the shape approached Jefferson pressed back into the tree, his hand slipping to the throwing knife hidden in his heavy coat.

"About half a day's ride that way." Jefferson said gesturing south,"Why?"

"Look for a place where thieves and whores don't run rampant." The shape said lifting the hood off of it's head showing a girl who might have been pretty but age and something else, something less evil than the dark one twisted her beauty until she was twice as ugly as she was beautiful.

"Then you come to the wrong place. I'm the worst of both, a thief and a whore. Hell my old caravan didn't want me, too bad for Gypsies and too much off a scoundrel to settle down." Jefferson knew barely half of that was true, he left out of his own accord, the guilt and the faint screaming got to be too much for him.

"Then help an old lady. Show them what good you're capable of." The old lady said gesturing to Jefferson, who stood up and flipped his hat onto his head.

"No, my dear, I live by a rigid moral code." Jefferson walking past her,"Everyone for themselves. You should try it some time."

Jefferson didn't hear the woman's response, it wasn't important any how. He had necklace to steal from a land where dragons flew and barbarians protected princesses. Where the forests were alive with many creatures and the royalty were said to have jeweled eyes and hair of liquid metal. 'Well Lady Alice, guess it's time to crash your engagement.'

_**Would you guys be adverse to me rewriting the story? Not totally, just fleshing it out and cementing points that change because of thing that I think off.**_


	30. It's another flashback Sorry not sorry

_**Oh, this is a thing Rumple is referencing is a quote that says basically says I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.**_

Rumple stood on the porch of Jefferson's mansion, it took longer than Rumple would have liked to locate him, but it wasn't difficult once Rumple located Jefferson's trail. Rumple wasn't surprised that Jefferson ended up here, even though he belonged to Alice, and Alice to him, Rumple knew that Regina would want to dig her claws into him anyway she could. If Jefferson truly knew what Regina was capable of, he didn't let anyone know, he'd rather be underestimated then registered as a threat. Rumple rapped on the door with his cane. He waited a few minutes before rapping on the door again, and hearing an irritated voice snap,"Hold your shit, I'm coming."

The door swung open,"Regina for the last time I- Mr. Gold."

Jefferson stood in the doorway, dark clothing and pallor skin, reminiscent of a 14 year old who had bone dust in his hair, ash smeared across his skin and the smell of burnt flesh and terror macerated into his clothing. Rumple put his cane down,"It's rude to keep guests on your doorstep, dearie."

Jefferson opened his door wider,"What do you want, Gold?"

Rumple walked into the mansion, he wanted to know exactly what Jefferson knew,"How's your wife?"

Jefferson flinched, his voice was strained,"Who?"

"Alice?" Rumple knew exactly what buttons to push now,"Your lady wife, surely you remember her. Her long golden hair, her red lips, her voluptuous-"

Jefferson's voice was strained to the point of extreme pain,"Stop."

"So you do remember her at least." Rumple said as Jefferson grabbed to crystal tumblers and poured some scotch. He handed Rumple his glass as Jefferson tossed the one in his left hand back.

"Of course I remember her. She isn't someone you'd forget, even after 31 years. Jefferson refilled his tumbler and put a cap on the decanter,"Speak plainly, Rumple, I don't need more mind games."

Rumple quirked an eyebrow,"What happened?"

"We needed money and Regina offered her a job." Jefferson sunk on the couch his shoulders low,"I'm so stupid, we didn't even get paid because she didn't finish the job. I ended up having to sell a few of her old dresses from our time in Westeros. I forbade her from selling them, not draw attention to us. Grace lost her mother for nothing, and I lost someone else I love."

Rumple walked next to him,"And your daughter?"

Jefferson stood up and prompted Rumple to follow him, he walked into an office with hats on an illuminated wall, each with a postcard and something scribbled on it in Jefferson's slanted scrawl,"Here."

Rumple looked through a telescope seeing a 10 year old with Alice's blonde hair and brown eyes,"At least she's safe."

Jefferson laughed bitterly,"You sound like my mother. She'd be safer with me, but I couldn't keep a God damned promise."

"Jefferson, what happened?"

"She deserves a better man than me as a father. Someone who won't abandon her for two years after she lost her mother."

"Was it in your control?" Rumple asked remembering Jefferson pacing in the main hall after Alice nearly died in Wonderland. Something else that wasn't his fault, something else out of his control.

_"She nearly died and it was my fault." Jefferson said pacing in the hallway occasionally stumbling._

_"Did you get it?" Rumple asked mildly impatient,"It's not your fault, Alice will do whatever she wants. Don't blame yourself."_

_Jefferson twisted his wedding ring around his finger still not used to the elegant band,"What am I going to do?"_

_Rumple rolled his eyes as Jefferson handled him a bright gold pocket watch,"What happened?"_

_Jefferson rubbed his face,"She's pregnant."_

_Rumple remembered how he felt when Milah had Baelfire, he didn't exactly react with the same quiet horror Jefferson had, the look that the former bachelor had. A look that spoke of something he feared,"Well then why do you look so distraught? Most men would be ecstatic finding out their beautiful wife is with child. Unless the child isn't-"_

_Jefferson shot Rumple a dirty look, his voice a growl,"It's mine."_

_"Then what is so distressing?" Rumple asked ignoring the acidic glare._

_"I don't want to become my father." Jefferson muttered his hand sliding across his ribs. _

_"Then don't leave her. Trust Alice's judgement, the one thing worse than having an abusive father is having no father."_

_Jefferson nodded, his eyes looking more troubled than any other eighteen year old,"Then what do you suggest I do?"_

_"Let your lady wife know you're there for her. This must be much scarier for her." Rumble said flipping the pocket watch through the air._

_Jefferson nodded and pulled at his jacket,"Thank you, Rumple."_

_"No need consider it payment for a future favor." Rumple said waving off Jefferson's thanks._

_"A future favor?" Jefferson said raising an eyebrow at Rumple,"I can do that."_

"No, I mean kind of?" Jefferson said hesitantly.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Rumple asked prodding the distraught man.

"Did you come here for something or just to mock me?" Jefferson asked cocking his head.

"I came for something and I received it." Rumple said making Jefferson squint,"And hopefully your hat in my corner when the time comes?"

Jefferson pursed his lips, his voice hesitant,"For?"

"Do you really think Regina will be mayor for much longer? Especially with Miss Swan around." Rumple said as he began to walk down the stairs,"Times are changing Jefferson, the final battle will begin soon."

"And they say I'm crazy." Jefferson said opening the door allowing Rumple to walk out. Jefferson smiled,"You can count on my skills. Pleasure to see you again."

Rumple turned back to say something but saw the door click shut and began to drive back to the pawn shop. He walked into his store and and began to organize everything when the bell rang causing him to look up. Alice walked into the pawn shop wearing heels and black slacks with a black pinstriped corset covering a white button up, she was carrying two books in her arms and the keys to the Storybrooke library.

"Mr. Gold? I found the books you were looking for, but I can't understand what you want with two old storybooks." Alice said smiling softly at him.

Rumple returned her smile with a mischievous grin,"My business dearie, You read through them Alice?"

Alice's head shot up,"What did you call me?"

"Forgive me Alexandra." Rumple amended,"Names and faces seem to blur together when you're my age."

Alice, or Alexandra here, looked at Rumple hesitantly,"Not an issue… but a book containing stories about Wonderland and a place that seems to hold old horror movie characters?"

"Yes I believe they're companions to Henry's book. What's the point of reading a story if you don't have all the information?" Rumple quipped.

"Operating on all the information is half the fun." Alex's phone rang as she pulled it out,"Excuse me, Mr. Gold, I have to go. Emergency at school."

Rumple nodded before looking at the colbalt blue book with silver silhouettes and gold lettering with scrawling designs going across the cover. Rumple began to flip through the book the page he landed on had Jefferson laying in bed with a pale blonde. She was too pale to be Alice, paper white skin, snow white hair and dark lips.

Rumple continued to flip through the book pausing on a photo of Cora standing above Jefferson's vulnerable form. Rumple felt for the broken thief, someone who the world beat down early and didn't stop beating down, 'Telling him about her will kill him. Wail. Let him adjust."

Rumple closed the book as the bell rang and Regina walked into the shop,"Your Highness, what can I do for you?"

Regina walked around the shop focusing on one of the counters, Alice''s sheathed sword laying on a background of brown velvet,"A mutual friend of ours, is being even more callous, even for them."

"Have you thought that he's grieving?" Rumple asked questioningly.

"He should be over it by now." Regina snapped.

"Are you over Daniel?" Rumple asked prodding the former evil queen.

"That's different." Regina said hurriedly.

"Two sides of the same coin, but he may actually get her back? Magic can't bring back the dead, but it can bring back their memories."

"He needs to realize he still abandoned her child." Regina's voice was haughty,"What would his wife think? He couldn't keep a simple promise."

Rumple raised an eyebrow,"And you wonder why he's so callous. He's never taken to being insulted."

"It wasn't an insult." Regina said sharply.

"Eye of the beholder, dearie." Rumple said his voice extremely imp-ike.

"I request next time you see him, you ask him to reconsider my offer. He gets rid of Ms. Swanvand I tell him his Darling's last words." Regina sneered.

Rumple remembered Alice's sharp tongue and fiery temper,'Fire and Blood, indeed.'"I imagine they were along the lines of 'You insipid whore.'"

"Heartless bitch actually, but how does sound,"Regina grinned sharply,putting on a mocking accent,"My darling, watch after Grace, don't leave her. Please watch over our Grace."

Rumple raised an eyebrow understanding how much that would kill Jefferson, shatter what little pieces of sanctuary he had salvaged through Wonderland, through Storybrooke, and Rumple could imagine the fallout, the sobbing, the screaming, the hallucinations, and the darker parts of Jefferson's mind twisting him to a colder version of himself,"Fantastic. Help me and I ruin you, don't help and slowly drive yourself mad. Quite the ultimatum you've given him."

"When you put it that way." Regina said pretending to be horrified,"He'll come around, if not I have my ways to make him do what I want."


	31. Feel free to admire me (Flashback)

Regina looked at the Portal Jumper resting in her bedchamber, sleeping on the chaise lounge. His head was tilted back and his eyes were closed, his hat lounged on his knee. Regina sat next to him studying the angles and lines on his face. Jefferson flicked one eye open,"Feel free to admire me, Regina."

Regina flushed and looked away as Jefferson sat up,"Why are you here, Jefferson?"

Jefferson looked at her with a disarmingly intelligent gaze,"You sounded lonely."

Regina crossed her arms over herself protectively, and tilted her head haughtily,"I'm a queen so what if I'm lonely?"

Jefferson moved closer to Regina putting an arm behind her on the chaise lounge,"What if someone could keep you company?"

Regina looked at Jefferson,"What kind of company?"

Jefferson shrugged before looking at her, his eyes falsely innocent,"Any kind you like. Emotional….. Physical. Whatever kind you'd like. Say the word." Jefferson leaned in close to whisper into her ear,"After all I serve at her majesty's pleasure."

Regina felt him press a kiss to the hollow below her ear,"But… but I'm married."

Jefferson shrugged tilting Regina's face to make her look at him,"Kings have affairs. Why not a queen?"

Regina put a hand on Jefferson's chest making him tense as she leaned into him,"I haven't had company since Daniel."

Jefferson looked at her slightly surprised,"Not even the king? You haven't had anyone since the stableboy?"

Regina clenched the fabric on Jefferson's vest, and shot him a dirty look,"I'm just supposed to be a mother for Snow."

Jefferson looked at her his eyes wide and vulnerable, falsely so, but Regina didn't know that,"I know how you feel. I lost someone too."

Regina looked at him, her brown eyes wide,"What was her name?"

'_Him'_, Jefferson's brain corrected automatically, he sighed deeply,"Saphira, we grew up together, every season her caravan would roam through my village. We ended up falling in love but it wasn't meant to be. She ended up executed and I ended up alone. Again."

Regina squeezed his knee bring him out of his revelry,"What did she do?"

Jefferson looked like he was in pain,"She was a gypsy and loved someone who wasn't."

Regina looked at him and kissed him on the lips, causing him to tense. Jefferson snaked his arms around her lifting her up and pulling her toward him, Jefferson pulled away and looked at Regina,"Are you sure-"

Regina kissed him,"Yes, now shut up."

Jefferson picked her up and began to carry her to her bed adjusting the weight from her dress.

_**(Line break)**_

"Well is your appetite satisfied?" Rumple asked barely looking up as Jefferson entered the castle.

"You'd think for being so uptight she'd be a good lay."Jefferson said sitting down and propping his feet up on the table.

"Could it be different levels of experience?" Rumple asked his tone holding notes of amusement.

Jefferson pretended to recoil in shock,"My coat doesn't have stripes on it, you know."

Rumple rolled his eyes,"Much to the blessing of everyone's purses."

Jefferson laughed,"If I was a concubine I'd be one of the classy ones. Like kings use."

Rumple glanced up,"Or queens."

Jefferson nodded, his voice was matter of fact,"But I don't get paid for that."

Rumple stared at the portal jumper long and hard,"Not in material goods at least."

Jefferson sighed his voice sounding disappointed,"You make me sound so vulgar, it's more of a mutual give and take."

Rumple scoffed,"You do most of the giving I presume?"

Jefferson snorted, his voice laughing, "I never kiss and tell.  
Rumple looked at the portal jumper and raised an eyebrow,"Who said anything about kissing?"

Jefferson chuckled at the Dark One, pulled out his pocket watch,"Ah my good Rumple, I never grow tired of our chats, but I must shove off, Good bye for now."

Rumple dismissively waved at Jefferson, as he tossed his hat and jumped through the opening that formed.


End file.
